Save Me
by WatIfAngel93
Summary: I'm a hyrbid. A witch and a vampire. For the past 145 years I've been running. From my old life, from the man I'm in love with, from my maker, and from the people who want my powers... But I'm done running. My name is Sarah Giovanni and this is my story.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

I remember the day I died just like it was a memory from only moments ago. I was wandering outside the garden of my family's home, the moonlight guiding my way along the cobblestone path. I was barefoot; the insufferable heels I had been forced into were left forgotten at the gate. My dress was also forgotten and I only ran around in undergarments. If only Mama could see me, traipsing around in the most unladylike fashion possible.

"_Unladylike my ass._" I thought as I hopped over a blotch of mud, narrowly missing is as I did.

I smiled as she finally came to my destination, a tall old oak tree. Long vines trickled from its branches, creating a light curtain of privacy around the area. Virginia fireflies illuminated the night with a light golden hue that made the garden seem like a fairytale.

I sat on the bench, gazing in the wonder at the little golden insects. Damon sent me a letter, telling me to meet him here at exactly midnight. This was the place I had met him eight years ago. I was escaping a dress fitting that my mother had been torturing me with and I ran here seeking some kind of cover. And there was Damon, hiding from both of our fathers who were forcing him on a hunt. Ever since that day we had been best friends.

I shivered slightly as a sudden chilling breeze ran over my skin. Funny, it was just the end of summer in Virginia, I shouldn't be cold.

"Hello Serenity."

I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned around to the source of the voice to see my best friend leaning against the old oak tree, staring at me with dark eyes.

I put my hand to my chest in relief. "Christ Katherine, you can't sneak up on me like that. And why are you calling me Serenity, I hate that name."

Katherine smirked at me. "You scare to easily, I couldn't resist." She traced the tree lazily.

I rolled my eyes at the woman. "Sure Kat. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Just a little midnight stroll." She told me coyly. "Late night in the boarding house."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? You and Stefan I presume?"

Katherine smiled. It wasn't a normal smile through. I knew from the years of knowing the woman in front of me, that behind Katherine, there was always a meaning. And I wasn't sure that I liked this meaning.

"Not quite, Sarah." Katherine said in a sing song tone.

I bristled at the comment. She couldn't have. "Where's Damon, Katherine?"

"At home, sleeping soundly thinking I'm by his side." Katherine teased with no remorse in her tone.

I glared at the girl I had once called my best friend, standing with balled fist. "You didn't."

Katherine smirked and pushed off of the tree, walking around it lazily to come face to face with me. "Oh come on Sarah, you know it was always me he wanted. All these months of looks, sneaking away at parties. You're not that naive are you?"

"I can't believe you." I growled at her. "You know how I felt about him; you were supposed to be my best friend!"

"Oh grow up Serenity." Katherine taunted with a roll of her eyes. "He wanted me. Not you. I just came here as your best friend to tell you that before you get your heart broken."

"Fuck you." I growled.

"That was almost threatening." She drawled. "It's alright. You'll find some other toy to fall over. Maybe Lockwood's son?"

"You're a bitch."

"So I've been told." She said lazily.

I stared at the girl with betrayal in my heart. I wanted nothing more than to rip her hair out, punch her until she couldn't anymore. I wanted her to hurt, just as I was. Hot tears rolled down my cheek. Suddenly, Katherine's eyes widened and she gasped as she held her chest where her heart should have been. I could only watch in horror as the girl who was supposed to be my friend dropped down to her knees in anguish.

"Katherine?"

Suddenly Katherine stopped writhing, and her eyes grew black with rage. I barely comprehended what was happening before I was pinned against a tree with an enraged Katherine holding me there by my neck.

Katherine growled, a feral, non human growl. "A witch huh?" she muttered angrily. "Who would have thought?"

My heart stopped at the sight of the deadly fangs that Katherine bared at me. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to be real. Things like her weren't supposed to exist. "You're a-" I struggled to get the words out.

Katherine let a sadistic grin spread over her lips. "Yes, go on. A Vampire." She said. "You were always so innocent Serenity. You never even realized that you were a witch. And you were foolish to think that you could ever interfere with my plans, and for that you have to be punished."

My eyes widened in shock and pain as Katherine's fangs pierced my neck. My blood rushed through my veins as Katherine drank from me greedily. Slowly my life force was being sucked from my body. I knew I was going to die tonight, it was inevitable.

Suddenly, Katherine released her bite on my neck and let me fall limply to the ground. I stared up at Katherine weakly, my vision slowly diminishing. I watched as Katherine bit into her wrist and held it to my mouth. I gagged as she forced her blood down my throat.

Katherine cocked her head at me, a smile on her face. "You know what? I think I'll let you live. Because killing you wouldn't be as fun. You're going to live a very, very long time knowing that Damon's heart belongs to me and only me." Her smile dropped. "And in the future? Remember that attacking me and interfering with my plans with grant you a slow and painful death."

She stood up, the smile coming back to her face as quickly as it had left. "Now let's pay your dear parents a visit shall we?"

I tried to cry out as Katherine walked back towards the house, but nothing but a rasp came out. I couldn't save my family, I couldn't save myself, I couldn't even move. Tonight was the night I would die. I stared at the moon, feeling my consciousness slowly slip away. I was so young, I didn't want to die. My parents, my poor parents.

September 24, 1864. That was the day I died. The day when I was reborn. The day that everything changed.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Carmen Grigori had always been a woman of exquisite tastes. Living as long as she had gave her the opportunity to indulge in those desires as much as she wanted, as well as the time to get the money. She enjoyed diamonds, champagne, silk pajamas and what not. She lived in cities like Paris, London, New York in glamorous pent houses and manors. At times she had a male model to go with it all. That was the joy of being a vampire. You could always reinvent yourself. But this reinvention? She wasn't sure about this.

"So how long have you been a fashion designer?"

Carmen turned away from her wine to smile at the woman that sat in her brand new kitchen. She was her new neighbor that had come to welcome her to the neighborhood. Mentally she scowled at this.

"About 20 years now." Carmen told the woman with a fake cheer she had perfected decades ago.

"Twenty?" the woman asked. "You don't look a day over 25."

Carmen almost let a smirk pass over her face at that. "It's the make up, do it right, and you can look any age you want. It's a useful skill actually."

"Is that so?"

"Of course." Carmen said, walking around the marble island to the bottle of wine she had set out earlier. God did she need a drink now. "So what is it that you do, Liz?"

The blonde woman studied the gorgeous woman in front of her, trying to sum her up. "I'm the towns Sheriff."

Carmen raised her eyebrow at her as she sipped her much needed wife. "Really? Sounds far more exciting than being a fashion designer. Tell me, how's the crime in Mystic Falls? I have a daughter and you can never be too careful."

She knew she was lying through her teeth, but she was good at it. Liz was buying it too, just like she wanted her too. She had to make sure that the people they were here for were still here. "I can understand. There's not much excitement in this town, maybe a few animal attacks-"

That had Carmen interested. "Animal attacks?"

Liz gave her a smile she seen straight through. She was hiding something, something she was either too scared shitless to let loose, or too loyal. Either way it didn't matter to her.

"Every now and then we get reports that an animal bit some locals, nothing to worry about though" She told her quickly. "So you have a daughter?"

"Yes, she just graduated." '_Again._' She added mentally. "I'll get her actually. Honey, come down here please!"

For some reason, she found it easy to play mom, even though she had never once did it before. For the past 145 years she had played roommate, aunt, cousin, and even sister. This was the first time they had played the mom/daughter game. She had to admit, she slightly enjoyed it. She had never had children, and she never would, but it was always fun to pretend.

She was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of footsteps pounding down their staircase and around the corner emerged the beautiful raven haired girl that she had spent the last decade with and now called daughter. She sported typical teen clothes of this generation. A pair of skinny jeans with high heeled boots with a band t-shirt and a leather jacket over that, a cute match she had thrown together to make her seem like a teenager, even though she definitely was far from it.

"Liz, this is my daughter, Serenity." Carmen introduced, throwing her arm around the girls shoulder. "Serenity, this is the towns Sheriff, Liz."

Liz marveled at this girl. She really was beautiful, just like her mother. She stared at her with scrutinizing gray eyes that mesmerized her. The girl narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"What did you do?" the girl asked in a threatening tone.

Carmen gave her "daughter" a look of mock hurt. "Nothing at all! Ms. Forbes just came to welcome us to town."

Liz nodded in agreement. "Yes I actually have a daughter around your age. I should introduce you."

"That would be lovely, now wouldn't it darling?" Carmen suggested, with a coy smirk.

Sarah shrugged. "Yeah sure." She told them, crossing her arms over her chest in a dismissive manner.

"Perfect." Carmen cheered. "I'm sorry Liz, but we have some unpacking to do."

Liz nodded and stood up, shaking Carmen's hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Carmen, you too, Serenity."

"We should do lunch, Liz." Carmen called out as the woman began to leave.

Liz smiled at her. "Of course, I'll keep in touch."

Carmen waited until the door shut securely before she let her smile drop. She massaged her cheeks with an annoyed look on her face. "I swear, this cheery mother thing is going to be killer on my face."

Sarah rolled her eyes at the woman and walked over to the island, taking a seat in front of the wine. "Did you really have to introduce me as Serenity? I hate that name."

"So you've told me for the past 145 years." Carmen sighed. "But I like it, it's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"Uh huh." Sarah said, taking a large gulp of wine, savoring the taste. "So what are we this time?"

"Well I'm a fashion designer and you just graduated from college." Carmen explained. "A pretty simple story. You know, this small town needs a boutique."

"Sure 'mom'." Sarah said with a smirk. "Definitely gotta get used to that one."

Carmen rolled her eyes and snatched her wine glass back from the girl. "Who are you telling?" she muttered. "Now, I know why we're back in this thing called a town. But couldn't we have waited another lifetime and gone somewhere exotic? I've traveled to islands in the Pacific that haven't even been discovered yet."

Sarah sighed, closing her silver eyes. It had been 6 months ago when she decided to come back to this place. The place where she was first born and the place she had died. For the past 100 years she had been avoiding it, but it was time to face old demons. Or vampires. Or both in this case.

"This couldn't wait." She said quietly, fiddling with the necklace around her neck.

Carmen nodded at the girl in understanding. "Alright then, time to get unpacked." She announced loudly. "I will not rest until this house looks like one of those homes magazines beg to have on their front cover." She said in a dead serious tone. Thing was she was dead serious.

"Why don't you head down to that bar downtown?" Carmen suggested from the next room. "You need to get out and actually do something normal."

Sarah rolled her eyes. Normal? Yeah, like that was possible. Carmen was a...well she didn't know how old Carmen was exactly, but she was a pretty old vampire and she was 168 years old passing herself off as a teenager. Pulling off normal would be her greatest acting debut yet. She let her eyes fall on the keys of Carmen's Mustang and sighed in defeat. Going out for a little drink couldn't hurt, now could it?

* * *

"So why did you ask me to come along?" Stefan asked as he and his brother walked into the Mystic Grill, which was unsurprisingly filled with teenagers seeing as it was Saturday.

Damon sighed and cocked his head to the familiar blonde and werewolf who sat in a corner booth in the back of the bar, laughing and talking to each in low voices. Stefan narrowed his eyes slightly at the scene.

"We gotta watch and make sure those do don't do anything stupid." Damon muttered, walking over to the bar and ordering his favorite drink. "Word on the street is that they've been spending a lot more time together."

Stefan sat next to his brother, turning on the stool so that he could see the supernatural coupling in clear view. They hadn't noticed they were there yet, they were too engrossed in each other too pick up their scent.

"Why do you care so much what they're doing?" Stefan asked. "You could care less about anyone."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh please bro, you were the one who didn't want Caroline dead. I'm just trying to make sure Blondie doesn't get bitten by Dog Boy over there. He just turned and has absolutely no control over himself. He'd take a chomp out of her in a second." he explained, tipping back his scotch.

"Fine." Stefan answered. "But-"

"And here we go with the but." Damon muttered.

Stefan gave his brother a pointed look. "But," he continued. "I think you do actually care. Just admit it, your friends with Caroline now, you don't wanna see her hurt."

"Do you want to get punched in the face?" Damon threatened lazily.

Before Stefan could answer his brother, an all to familiar scent filled his nostrils. A smell that even when he was human could smell as soon as she walked into the room. Cinnamon and earth. A beautiful and unique combination that his brother had picked up on too, for his head shot up immediately.

"it can't be." Stefan said in a whisper. "She's dead."

Damon didn't answer, only kept his eyes on the door. There she was, clad in jeans and a leather jacket and black Aviator sunglasses that covered her beautiful face, an outfit choice that was far different than what they remembered back in the 1800's. She hadn't changed a bit, she was still as beautiful and intoxicating as she was 145 years ago. He watched as she ordered a drink from the bartender, smiling only slightly in her old polite way.

"This is impossible." Stefan murmured. "How can she be alive?"

"I don't know, lets do ask her." Damon muttered before standing up to approach the girl only to be tugged right back down by his brother. "Stefan..."

"Damon we can't just go up to her. She might be dangerous."

Damon scoffed. "Come on, Spazzy? Dangerous? A new born kitten is more dangerous than she is."

Stefan rolled his eyes at the vampires usual overly casual take on the situation. "Still, we have to be careful. Hell we don't even know if that's her."

"I can hear you you idiots." The brothers whipped their over to the seat nearest Damon that was empty two seconds ago but was now occupied by a girl they had long thought dead. They back to the chair she was supposed to be in, finding it unsurprisingly empty.

"You guys suck at whispering you know." she told them with a smirk, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"Serenity Giovanni." Stephen voiced.

She frowned at him. "You know I hate that name Stefan, it hasn't been that long."

"How?" Damon asked softly.

"How am I alive or How do I look like a 22 year old when I'm actually 168?" she asked cheekily, "Because I know you already know the answer."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at her. "Sarah this isn't funny."

"No its not Stefan but I'm gonna drink until it is." Sarah muttered, screwing the sips and gulping down the contents of her glass.

Damon still stared at her, in that cryptic emotionless way that remembered all to well from his days of fawning over Katherine. That look when he got when he was trying to hide his emotions and put on a front. But she could always see through it. Stefan couldn't, because then again the look was made specifically for him, but she definitely could, she was his best friend. Right now, he was beyond conflicted with her. He was happy, he was sad, but most of all he was angry, really angry. Whether the anger was directed at her or not she wasn't sure. But she was pretty sure it was directed at her.

"Okay," she began, putting on her serious demeanor as she felt the atmosphere around the three of them shift dangerously. "I didn't mean to run into you guys like this. I was going to come by the old boarding house tomorrow, but you guys were here and I needed a drink so that plan pretty much went out the window." she rambled, finding herself growing nervous. "But I really want to explain to you guys what happened."

"Yeah that would be nice." Damon bit at her, making her flinch.

She sighed. "Okay, come by my house tomorrow." she told them, grabbing a napkin to write down her address. "I'll explain everything there."

"And how do we know we're not walking into anything that'll get us killed?" Stefan asked, gritting his teeth.

She sent them a small smile, shocking both of the brothers. "Because even though I'm technically not alive, I'm still the same Sarah you used to know."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"You just had to invite them over!" Carmen cursed her in a flurry as she rushed around her newly decorated house, making the last minute touches she had yet to finish. "I swear if you get any blood on my new floors I'll snap all three of your necks."

Sarah rolled her eyes from her place on their white suede couch To say that Carmen just decorated this place was an understatement. She wasn't lying when she said that she was going to make this house look like the cover of a home magazine. It was gorgeous. In one day, she had managed to decorate all of the 4 bedrooms of the house, re do the kitchen, bathrooms, and foyer, and make the living room absolutely fabulous. The room was a a forest green color with white furniture, even the fireplace was white. The floor was light brown wood, polished to perfection, seriously she could see herself in it. Her favorite aspect would have to the way it looked out to their garden, through double doors that led to their deck.

"Just calm down Car, they're just coming over to talk." Sarah said with a heavy sigh. "They won't destroy anything...at least I hope they won't."

Carmen glared at her. "That is not reassuring." she muttered to her before traveling around the couch to sit in her newly bought chair. "You thought about what your going to say to them?" she asked the girl.

Sarah nodded, staring at the floor. "Yep, and it all sucks." she mumbled in a pout. "How are you supposed to say 'Hey, yeah sorry I made you guys believe I've been dead for the past 145 years. And I know I never bothered to contact you at all, but lets be best friends again like the good old days.'" Sarah rambled, suddenly becoming annoyed with herself. "I sound stupid."

"You sound confused." Carmen told her in a serious tone. "Hun, all these years, you've done nothing but wallow in self pity, and frankly its a real downer at parties." That earned her a glare from the younger vampire. "Oh don't give me that look, its true. It's time for you to find some kind of happiness. You can't spend all of eternity feeling sorry for yourself and being mad at the world. Trust me, I've been there." she grimaced at the last part.

Sarah cocked her head at the woman. "You're right."

"Of course I am." Carmen said just as the doorbell rang. "Oooh, I'll get it!"

"Carmen!" Sarah exclaimed, finding herself too late to catch the woman before she zoomed off to the the door.

Carmen smirked at her "daughter" as she opened their front door, revealing none other than the Salvatore brothers and a young blonde girl. "Hello, you must be the infamous Damon and Stephen." she greeted, flashing her pearly whites. "Come in, Come in! Sarah hasn't shut up about you two since yesterday." Carmen teased, looking back at the said girl mischievously.

Sarah glared at the woman as she stood in the foyer, a good distance away from the three vampires that entered her home. Damon glanced at her before looking at the woman who was ordering them to take off their shoes.

"Who are you?" he asked, staring at the woman in confusion.

"Where are my manners?" Carmen said, a cheeky smile reaching her lips. "I'm Carmen Grigori, Sarah's mother." she said, holding out her hand.

That made the two brothers look at Sarah questioningly, who merely shrugged, a smile reaching her lips. Stefan was the first to shake her hand. "It's nice too meet you, I'm Stefan."

"So we've established." Carmen joked before turning to the blonde, who merely stared nervously at them from behind Stefan. "And who is this?" her smile growing soft as her blood wafted to her nose. The thing about Carmen that always amazed Sarah was her ability to know anybody just through their scent. She could tell you what you were, who your relatives were, where you had been that day, and your hobbies just by the smell of you. It was a skill that Sarah had yet to begin to fathom.

The blonde stepped forward, a little flustered and nervous. "Hi, I'm Caroline." she told her, holding out her hand.

Carmen shook it, cocking her head slightly at the girl. "It's a pleasure to meet you Caroline." she said softly, a change from the dominate tone she had with the men beside her. "A newborn huh? How about we get you some fresh AB, hm? I'm always well stocked." Carmen offered, taking the girls hand and leading her to the kitchen.

Caroline looked back at the brothers with a scared expression as she was pulled away. Sarah watched after them as they left the three of them alone.

"Don't worry, Carmen's really flamboyant but she's harmless unless prompted." she told them before gesturing toward the living room. "We can talk in here."

The brothers were hesitant around her, she could tell when they surveyed every escape route in the room when they sat down on the couch. She could also spot the stake hidden underneath Stefan's sleeve and the vervain in Damon's pocket. They didn't seriously think she was this dangerous did they?

She sat down in front of the two men, back straight with alertness and anxiety. The way the were staring at her made her nervous to no end. She felt like a child sitting in the principal's office.

"I guess this is where you start asking me questions." she told them tentatively. "I'll be as honest as I can be, but I can't make any promises."

Stefan was the first to question her, leaning forward in his seat with a seriousness in his eyes. "Who turned you?"

She sighed, anticipating the question to be first on the list. "Katherine. Apparently I was inferring with her plans of sneaking around the Council and she was going to kill me. She didn't though." her eyes shot to Damon for merely a second. "She was kind enough to turn me." she spat out the last part bitterly. "Two nights before the vampires were all locked inside of the tomb."

"How do you know all of this?" Damon asked, his voice emotionless and annoyed. "How do you know about the Council and the tomb? You disappeared before any of that could happen."

"I've been keeping tabs." she told him blatantly. "On Mystic Falls, on you, even on Katherine. I couldn't come back here unprepared now could I?"

Damon gave her a hard look. "And while you were keeping tabs, you didn't even bother to at least let us know you were alive?"

She returned his glare with equal malice. "It wasn't my fault. And it wasn't like you tried to find me either Damon. You didn't even know I was dead."

"There was a fucking funeral, what else was I supposed to think?" Damon yelled at her, gripping the arm of the couch tightly, his strength cracking it a bit.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't take your anger out on my new couch!" Carmen warned him as she walked into the living room with a glass of wine in hand. She handed the glass to Sarah, who smiled at her gratefully. "Thought you might need this." she told the girl gently, before her expression turned serious. "Remember, any blood on my floor-"

"You'll break our necks I know." Sarah finished for her as she walked back out of the room. "Thanks Car."

Stefan looked after the beautiful vampire. "Who is she?" he asked, obviously amused.

Sarah sipped her wine before smiling. "Carmen is a very old vampire. I don't know how old, but she's pretty old. She's been with me since the night I turned." she told them.

"And what happened that night?" Stefan asked. "I mean, what happened to you after Katherine-"

"I woke up in Carmen's room in the old Inn just outside of Mystic Falls." she interrupted him. "I didn't remember anything except that I was so scared and in complete pain." she told them in a shaky tone, her eyes boring into the wine glass. " Carmen said she would take care of me, that she would never let a newborn wander by herself. For the past 145 years I've been keeping a low profile until I could come back and face my demons." she tore her eye from the glass to look at her best friends. "And until I was fully trained."

"Trained?" Damon questioned. "Trained for what?"

Sarah smirked at that and let her eyes trail to the bowl of fruit that sat in the middle of the coffee table. With barely a thought, an apple rose from the arrangement and drifted fluidly around the table before resting into her hand. Damon and Stephen stared at her with wide eyes.

"I'm kind of a witch."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"A fucking witch." Damon breathed in annoyance as he walked down the dark streets of downtown Mystic Falls that night. After that eventful reunion with Sarah, he had raked his brain in the Boarding House trying to figure out how to process the information he'd received that morning. Sarah was back. That was clear point in his mind. He let a smile pass his lips at the memories of their childhood. They used to raise hell together, always getting in and out of trouble in so many different ways it made his head spin. Even though most of the trouble was his fault, she always took partial blame. She always had his back. And when she disappeared those 145 years ago he almost tore apart half of Virginia looking for her. He sighed. _'What the hell am I gonna do?'_

"Hey Salvatore." Damon whipped his head around to the source of the voice to see, much to his surprise, Carmen sitting there giving him and imploring look.

"What are you doing here?"

Carmen raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sorry, I am a resident of Mystic Falls, I thought it was my legal right to be able to walk around the neighborhood."

Damon gave her an annoyed look. "Look, don't joke with me. You don't even know me or what I could do to you."

Carmen rolled her eyes. "Oh please son, I could make you cease to exist in exactly 5 seconds." she said, the look in her eyes telling him that the threat was far from empty. "I just came here to talk."

"About?" Damon inquired.

Carmen sighed. "Sarah." she told him. "As confused as your feeling right now, multiply that by ten and experience it for 145 years. That's how Sarah has been feeling since the night she was turned. She needs you now. And as much as I hate to admit it, we could use as much help as we can get right now."

Damon gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"You think a half witch half vampire can walk around and not go unnoticed?" Carmen asked him. "Vampires would, and have, killed to get their hands on her. A witch without the limitations of a human body, a vampire with magic. Very valuable, and very bad people are after her now and I can't protect her by myself." she said. "She's powerful, but she hasn't fully grasped her full potential. Not yet. She's very vulnerable."

"So your asking me to be Sarah's personal body guard?" Damon asked slowly, still grasping what he was just explained.

Carmen shrugged. "More or less."

"I don't need to be asked to protect her." Damon told her. "I'd do it with the simple mention that she was in danger."

"Good, then we're in agreement." Carmen told him. "And another thing, I'll take over training your new born, Caroline was it? Your doing a terrible job, the girl gets her knickers in a twist at just the sight of blood. She'll be under my scrutiny for now on."

Damon raised an eyebrow at her. "O.K?"

Carmen flashed him a perfect smile. "Good. So glad we could have this chat Damon. I'll be seeing you." she told him as she walked away. Just as Damon was about to do the same she was in front of him in the blink of an eye, a deadly look on her beautiful face. "And one more thing," she began, her voice dangerously low and venomous. "If you even think of breaking Sarah's heart, I will rip yours out and shove it down your throat." she threatened. "Again, so glad we could have this talk." and with that, she was gone.

Damon was pretty sure his heart stopped beating for a couple seconds.

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

"Mr. Basinger, your four o clock is here."

A young man glanced up from his paperwork, giving his new blonde secretary a once over appreciatively before a smirk reached his lips. "Please Cassandra, call me Evan. And send him in would you babe?" he told her curtly before the blushing girl nodded and called out to his reception area.

Evan let his eyes narrow at the sight of his guest, adorned in black slacks and biker boots. It was a sharp contrast from his navy blue three button suit and slicked hair. The person whistled low, taking in the enormous office.

"They sure did set you up Evan. How many necks did you have to bite to get this gig?"

Evan rolled his eyes. "What do you want Emma? You know, besides to annoy me for the rest of your miserable life?"

"Can't a girl visit her big brother every few decades?" the red head inquired, taking a seat in her brothers arm chairs, kicking her feet on his new desk. "Is it so hard to believe that I actually missed you?"

"Yes actuallly." he muttered, eying her boots with slight disgust. "Now is there something you need Em? Maybe another million dollars you can blow through like the last I gave you?"

The girl rolled her blue eyes. "Oh please bro, my shits set. But yours? I do believe you need to keep your shit on a tight leash."

Evan raised an eyebrow at his sister. "And why would that be?"

"Because I have some very valuable information for you." she said. "About a certain witch you've been hunting for over a century."

Evan narrowed her eyes at her. "What's this gonna cost me?" he questioned, leaning forward in his seat with interest.

Emma mirrored her brothers action, a sly smirk on her face. "Half of the power."

"It took awhile but you've finally gone completely psycho sis." Evan laughed.

"That happened a long time ago, bro." she snapped back. "And the deal is you take my bargain or you contue searching for the witch for the rest of eternity because your never going to find her."

Evan smirked at her, leaning back in his chair with a chuckle in his throat. "Oh please Emma, I've had her trail for a good while now. She's now sitting in her loft apartment in Chicago with the super vamp. My men are going to be moving to her position any day now."

Emma, like a good twin, mimicked her brothers smirk. "You are soooo off dude." she teased, kicking her boots off the table. "She hasn't been in Chicago in a good two weeks. Your behind her bro. I'm always two steps ahead." she told him, daring him to challenge her. "So you could take my deal and be two steps ahead too, or don't and never find her." she shrugged. "Your choice."

Evan glared at his sister. They were truly polar opposites, always had been since the moment they were born. They were like the sun and the moon. Always seeing two opposite views. He was practical, mature, classy. Emma was careless, reckless, and above all ruthless. But at that moment, Evan finally found a similarity in them. They were both intelligent, and were willing to do what ever it took to get what they wanted.

"Fine." he agreed. "I'll do it. Fifty percent is yours. I'll even throw in a bonus if you go get her yourself." he suggested, sneering at her satisfied smile. "Now where is she?"

Emma's smile widened. "In the last place we would ever think to look. Mystic Falls, Virginia."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

She gazed out at the pouring rain as it pounded against the window of the Mystic Grill. There was something about the rain that always gave her comfort in complicated times. She guessed some time ago that it was the constant sound it made. It was untamed yet consistent. Much like her. Blissfully chaotic. There was something poetic about it. She rolled her eyes at her own inference. She sounded like Katherine. The name made her blood boil every time it even crossed in the vicinity of her thoughts.

Katherine Pierce had once been her friend. Her best friend actually. They had been friends from the age of 16 until she was turned at 22 years old. They had met when her parents decided to send her away to a prestigious all girl school, which back then was really just a finishing school, or a torture academy she had like to call it. She had been there for two years until she was 18, and in those two years she met Katherine. They were in the same room then, and they're beds were right besides each other. They would spend their days terrorizing the teachers there, sneaking away to the kitchen at night for chocolates and talking about any and everything, which she pretty much knew was a lie then. The one thing Sarah could honestly say was that Katherine was a good friend in those years, taking the blame for her and lying for her. She had once slapped a girl when the vile teenager had insulted her Italian heritage. Yeah, she was a good friend. Then.

They were separated for five years then until Katherine appeared again in her life in 1864, after the war had ended and Mystic Falls was coming into settlement. They hit if off again just like old times. They spent the days at the Salvatore Estate with Damon and Stefan, or at the old Giovanni Manor where she had grown up. They were fine until that day...

"Do you make it a habit to drink alone or something? Because I have to tell you its really depressing looking."

She snapped from her thoughts and glanced up at Damon as he took a seat at her table. He was dressed in his usual black attire, his usually messy hair was wet from the rain and hung in his gorgeous blue eyes slightly. She tilted her head at the man.

"Maybe there's a reason I'm drinking alone." she told him, tipping her glass of Bourbon slightly towards him, as if tempting him with the glass.

Damon raised an eyebrow at her. "Ouch, that felt like a slight nudge out the door Spazzy. I can honestly say I'm hurt." he mock pouted, his eyes on her glass.

Sarah rolled her eyes at her vampire friend. "Oh just take it you big baby." she said with a defeated sigh, handing over the glass to the smirking vampire. "What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have Stefan to annoy or something?"

"Nah. His brooding angst mode was annoying me so I decided to go over your house and bug you, but Mama Vamp said you were here." Damon told her, swirling the remaining bourbon in his glass.

Sarah shrugged. "I got bored. I forgot how agonizingly boring Mystic Falls could get." She said frowning. "You should entertain me."

Damon gave her a wicked smile. "Well if you insist we could always go back to the Boarding House-"

"Damon."

"And hang out there." he finished. "Jeez Spazzy, you always think the worst of me, I can be a good boy."

"Damon you are far from a good boy." Sarah said with a smirk. "And you're calling me Spazzy."

Damon gave her a strange look. "Uh yeah, I've been calling you that since we were 10."

"Yeah but I didn't think you remembered." she pointed out.

"I remember everything from back then." Damon told her, downing the rest of Sarah's bourbon. "Alright, lets go before Elena gets to the house. Then it'll be a big brooding fest and I wanna be relaxed and less annoyed when that happens."

Sarah let Damon pull her from the table and lead her outside to his car. She was actually happy she ran here before the rain started. The drive to the Boarding House was a silent one, only the rain could be heard between them. They arrived at the house in record, thanks to Damon's reckless driving Sarah added. They ran into the large house, and not even their vampire speed could help them escape the rain. Damon ruffled his wet hair, stopping to watch Sarah remove her jacket, revealing her wet sky blue t-shirt that clung to her every curve. She flipped her long wet hair over her shoulder.

"Jeez I swear it wasn't raining that hard when we left the Grill." she shivered, looking up at him. "What?" she asked as he continued to stare at her.

Damon shook his gaze from her, turning his eyes to anywhere but her. "Nothing. I'll go get you a towel."

"And another shirt or something!" she called after him as he jogged upstairs.

"Got it!" he called back.

Sarah sighed and went into the living room where a fire was already lit in the elaborate fireplace. She relished in the warmth of the room, which you wouldn't expect seeing as this was the home of two vampires. She glanced at the few articles that littered a desk that lined the couch. A cross bow, a bottle of vervain. Basically many tools to kill a vampire if necessary. Her brows scrunched in confusion as she fingered a silver bullet in her hand. It was a real silver bullet. Setting the thing down, she let her eyes wander to the book that lay open. _"Werewolves"._

"I got you a blanket too, but your gonna have to deal with my hoody for right now." Damon announced as he found her in the living room.

Sarah smiled at him and rounded to the couch where he sat the blanket. He gave her the hoody and she couldn't help but notice that it smelled like him. His cologne was heavy on the cloth, it was comforting to her. She slipped over her wet shirt, leaving her only in a black tank top and quickly slipped it on, relishing in its warmth. She looked back to Damon to find him staring at her.

"As flattered as I am Damon, your staring is kind of creeping me out." she joked, flopping down on the couch.

Damon rolled his eyes and sat beside her. "You wish." he said, glancing at the clock. "Crap Stefan and Elena are on their way."

Sarah smiled at that. "So I get to meet the infamous Elena? Finally! I was starting to think you were hiding her from me."

With the joke being made, Sarah expected him to laugh and deny the "mock" accusation, but instead he shifted uncomfortably and looked away from her. Why that little...

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him and thwacked him _hard _upside the head. "You've been hiding her from me!" she confirmed angrily.

"Sarah its not what you think." he tried to reason as she stood from the couch glaring at him, braced and ready to win the argument they were about to have.

"Oh really? Then please do explain to me why you and Stefan feel that I'm such a danger that you have to hide his girlfriend from me, Salvatore."

Damon winced at his last name. She only ever called him by his last name when she was genuinely pissed off, a very rare occasion actually. But unfortunately, this was one of those occasions.

"Spazzy-"

Sarah's glared deepened. "Don't Spazzy me."

Damon gave her an exasperated sigh. "Look, you know me and Stefan love you _Spazzy_, this is for more your protection rather than hers." he tried to reason with her.

"I don't need you and Stefan to protect me anymore. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big girl." She argued, crossing her arms over her chest in a defiant matter, anger practically radiating off of her in waves.

Oh he noticed. Damon glanced around her as a book began to rise from a table, and then the cross bow and bullets her placed there. And then the lamp that sat in the corner, and then every light weight item that lay in the room. Damon was amazed. He hadn't witnessed power like that since Emily Bennett, and even she couldn't perform telekinesis unconsciously. Her power reacted with her emotions, and she could use it as easily as she could breath. Carmen was right. She was powerful.

"And another thing!-"

Damon gripped Sarah by the shoulders. "Spazoid, take a chill pill and look around."

Sarah gave him a confused look before she looked around the room, her expression changing into a frown. Everything immediately dropped at once as her anger dissipated. They both winced as the items crashed onto the floor in broken bits.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry." the raven haired vampire apologized, her hands running through her already messy hair. "Really, I haven't lost control of my powers in a good fifty years, this never happens!"

"Spazzy..."

"I have better control of myself than this. God what it wrong with me?"

"Spaz, nothing is wrong with you." Damon tried to reassure the girl as he noticed her on the verge of tears. "You know besides being a complete freak of nature. Your a good person. And I must say a wicked hot vampire. Definitely on my top VILF list." she glared at him. " I mean come on, if somethings wrong with you then I'm pretty screwed up."

Sarah tried her best to glare at him, but she couldn't bring herself to even feel a speck of the anger she had felt before. She shook her head and let a smile reach her lips. "You're already screwed up." she mumbled. "How do you always manage to make me feel better?"

Damon scowled at the question. "Because I'm awesome. I thought you knew this already."

Sarah only smirked at him before the soft click of the door reached their sensitive ears. Damon froze as Sarah turned around just as Stefan entered the room.

Stefan stared at her in shock. "Sarah? What are you doing here?" he questioned.

"Hello too you too Steph." she greeted blatantly, her eyes still on the door awaiting Elena's entrance. "Damon was just telling me about how you and Stefan have been hiding your girlfriend, but now I can finally meet her!"

Stefan gave her an apologetic look. "Sare-"

Stefan and Damon's eyes met just as footsteps clicked along the floor. There was no stopping it now.

"Hey Stefan, do you have my phone? I thought it was in my purse but I remember giving it to you." the brunette asked, her face digging into her purse for her lost phone.

Stefan glanced back and forth between his best friend and his girlfriend. "Um Elena, meet Sarah..." he called to her.

The girl lifted her head to him, and Sarah felt her heart stop.

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_Stefan glanced back and forth between his best friend and his girlfriend. "Um Elena, meet Sarah..." he called to her._

_The girl lifted her head to him, and Sarah felt her heart stop._

_**~*Same Me*~**_

"The Petrove Doppleganger." Sarah stated as she stared at a nervous Elena from her spot on the couch. "How is this possible?"

Stefan sighed. "Basically Elena is a descendant of Katherine's. Katherine was the first doppleganger but when she turned she basically revoked that title and it passed down through her blood line to Elena." he explained to her. "She's the 2nd doppleganger, how thats possible we still don't know."

"So your basically the most valuable being in the supernatural world right now." Sarah quipped, smirking just a bit. "Welcome to the club."

"Thanks?" Elena said unsurely.

"Your welcome." Sarah told her with a smile. "Don't take this the wrong way, but your kind of freaking me out."

Damon scoffed from his spot at the fire place with his bourbon. "How is she supposed to take that the right way?"

Sarah glowered at him. "Hush, I'm still mildly mad at you." she warned him before turning back to the amused looking girl. "Seriously, don't take it the wrong way. Its not everyday you meet the exact carbon copy of the woman who basically ruined your life."

Elena shrugged. "Its alright, really. I'm glad I'm the one freaking someone out instead of it being the other way around." she joked.

Sarah studied the girl. God, she looked so much like Katherine. The same facial structure, same hair. She was almost the exact mirror image of that wretched woman but Sarah could spot the differences as if they were as plain as the similarites. It was in her smile and her eyes. When Elena smiled it was genuine, there was no hidden agenda. There was no mask to hide pain or another scheme. And her eyes. They were warm and alive. Katherine's weren't.

"So your a witch and a vampire?" Elena asked her curiously, earning a nod. "How is **that** possible?"

Sarah shrugged, a sigh escaping her lips. "I don't know, God? Fate? Whatever force out there that likes to play cruel jokes on people." she turned to Stefan with a frown. "You should have told me."

"Yeah like that was possible without you freaking out." Damon added in. "Sorry Spaz, but you tend to freak out alot, and Elena 's not on the top of your list of priorities, nor is she on mine. Sorry." he added to the girl. "Mama vamp told me to keep you safe. And with little miss likes-to-endanger-herself-and-make-Stefan-and-Damon-the-first-vampires-in-history-to-have-heartattacks, thats not exactly possible."

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "Wait, what do you mean Carmen told you to keep me safe? What exactly did she tell you?" she growled at him lowly.

Damon pointed at her accussingly. "See, you freak out easy. Thats the reason we didn't tell you."

Stefan shrugged. "He has a point." he added, actually agreeing with his brother.

Sarah whipped around to glare at him. "He has no point!" she argued. "I don't need protection! I'm a big girl."

"Actually your pint sized." Damon joked, earning a scathing look from the small vampire. "What? Your shorter than Elena, thats dipping into midget territory."

"Damon." the other girl scoffed in offense.

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "Regardless I'm a freaking witch! I can bring down a vampire with a flick of my wrist, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself." she told them with a stern tone. "Plus no one even knows where I am!"

"But if they find out we don't want you getting hurt." Damon told her seriously. "Because then Mystic Falls would just mysteriously perish in the night, and you don't want that to happen."

"You are so infuriating." Sarah muttered under her breath.

"And you still love me for it."

Stefan put a hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm the girl down. "Sare, we just want to protect you. We lost you once, we don't want to lose you again." he looked at Damon. "We're both going to protect you and Elena to the best of our abilities. You are both too important."

"To you two or just everyone else." Sarah asked, looking at the both of them. "I've had this lecture, I know what I am and I'm sure Elena is perfectly aware of what she is. So why don't you just let me handle it myself?" she told them bluntly before she turned to Elena. "Sorry to cut this short, it was nice meeting you." she glared at Damon and Stefan before whooshing out, using her vampire speed.

Stefan sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That went well." he breathed.

Damon gave him a pointed look, rolling his eyes. He's gonna have a hell of a time.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_Sarah was dressed in a beautiful midnight blue dress. A dress she would have worn in 1864. She was in a house. No. The Lockwood Mansion. But this wasn't the mansion she had remembered from her youth. This was new, different. She found herself moving against her will, her legs took outside, where no one else was. Where no one could see her. She glanced back to see Damon, laughing, genuinely laughing, with his brother and Mrs. Lockwood. He looked happy and handsome. It was just what he deserved. She turned back to the Lockwoods backyard, venturing further to the out doors, leaving the party behind her. That was when she saw him. Red hair, black eyes. He saw her and smiled, it was sick and sadistic. He was in front of her in the blink of an eye. _

_ "Serenity Giovanni." he whispered, brushing a piece of her hair from her face. "It wasn't very nice of you to keep playing this game of cat and mouse." he tangled his fingers in her hair, causing it to escape from its pin. "Not very nice of you at all."_

_ She glared at him "Just do what you came here to do and leave." she spat at him. _

_ He smiled. "Oh Serenity, you don't get it do you? See I like to play games. Their one of my favorite past times. And darling I'm not finished playing with you just yet."_

_ She frowned at him. "We had a deal." she growled lowly._

_ "No doubt Serenity. The deal was I get the power and I don't hurt, harm, or kill your friends."_

_ "And you can't break a deal with a witch." she reminded. "And you made one with me you bastard."_

_ The red headed vampire only laughed. "Yes dear I did, but we never agreed that __**you **__couldn't do it for me." _

_ Her eyes widened. She tried to run but he held her tightly in a grip. "Don't move." he ordered her, staring her directly in the eyes._

_ She did as he said. She had never been compulsed, it was a terrible feeling. She couldn't move her body at all. She was in the mercy of this...monster._

_ "Now you are going to go and slaughter everyone." he told her, the girl under his compulsion._

_ "I'm going to slaughter everyone." she repeated._

_ "And your going to kill Damon Salvatore slowly and painfully."_

_ "And I'm going to kill Damon Salvatore slowly and painfully."_

_ He smirked. "And then, your going to come back to me and will me your powers once and for all."_

_ "I'm going to come back to you and will you my powers once and for all." she repeated in a monotone._

_ He released his grip on her and let the Sarah walk back to the party. She tried to stop herself, she tried with all her might to just stop. She screamed in her head to stop, she willed her legs to collapse beneath her. She hoped that someone would come and stop her. She came to the house and opened the door._

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Carmen was awakened from her blissful sleep as her bed shook beneath her an screams erupted from the bedroom down the hall. Without another thought she raced down the hall as fast as her legs could carry her. The walls and floor shook beneath her, the picture she had framed of Sarah fell to the floor with a shatter as did everything else that hung on the wall. She burst through the girls bedroom door, finding her writhing and screaming in pain. Her furniture shook violently against the floor and the walls cracked under the intensity of the girls magic. Carmen cursed under her breath, shaking the girl from whatever was hurting her.

"Sarah!" the vampire called out to her desperately. "Dammit Sarah wake up!"

Suddenly, the girls eyes opened wide and alert. All of her furniture crashed back to the ground, as well as the rest of the house. Carmen breathed a sigh of relief, not releasing her grip on the girl. Sarah's breath was heavy and jagged and sweat soaked her shaking body. Carmen held the terrified girls face in her hands, bringing her eyes to look in her own.

"Sarah babe, look at me." she coaxed softly, trying to calm the poor vampire down.

Sarah let her eyes fall on Carmen, tears falling down her cheeks endlessly. She curled her legs to her chest and let Carmen wrap her in her arms, sobs raking her body. Carmen held her close, rubbing soothing circles in her back.

"Was it a nightmare?" Carmen asked in a calm tone, trying to keep the girl as soothed as she could.

Sarah shook her head through her tears and Carmen gave her a confused look. "Come on Sarah darling you have to tell me whats wrong." she told her.

Sarah let the tears flow freely down her face and looked up at the older vampire, her now black eyes peering at her sadly. "I'm going to kill people."

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"She hasn't come out of her room all day." Carmen said with a sigh as she re-rearranged the flower arrangement on her kitchen table. "I've tried everything, but she is chained to that bed."

Damon raised an eyebrow at that. "What happened?" he questioned, glancing towards Sarah's room.

Carmen shrugged. "I don't know, a vision maybe? She was so scared and her powers were going haywire. Damon, she picked up the house." she told him. "I didn't notice it until the neighbors showed up asking me what happened to my alters."

"I'm guessing thats why they look like multch now." Damon said. "Alright, I'll go talk to her and get her out of there. Back me up just in case."

Carmen rolled her eyes at him. "She's not dangerous Damon, just a bit unstable right now."

"I know...but remember she knows about the us protecting her from dark supernatural forces out for her head-"

"Your fault." Carmen added.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever, but she pretty much wants to barbeque me now."

"Not barbeque just gonna flambe your ass."

They both turned to the witch as she slumped down the stairs. Damon thought she looked adorable right now. It reminded him of when she used to stay the night at the Salvatore Manor with Katherine. She was dressed in a huge hoody, his hoody he noticed, and a pair of pajama pants. Her hair was slightly ruffled and messy, and her face was contorted into an annoyed pout as she sat at the island.

"I really wish you guys would stop talking about me, I'm fine." she muttered, burying her head in her arms.

"Morning to you too Spazzy." he greeted, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't you look gorgeous this morning."

Sarah lifted her head to glare at him. "Stop lying, I look like death."

"But you make death look so cute." he joked, leaning beside her.

"Your compliments are so weird." she told him with a roll of her eyes.

Damon smirked at her. "Part of my charm babe. Now go get dressed we have alot to do today."

Sarah gave him a confused look. "Why?"

"Because I'm taking you out, and as cute as little heart pajama pants are I don't think they'll work well with what we're doing." he told her, his smirk only growing wider.

"Then what are we doing?" she asked, sending a a look to Carmen who merely shrugged, this being the first she's heard of it.

"You'll see." Damon said, pulling her off the stool. "Now go get dressed in something you can get down and dirty in." he told her with a lecherous grin.

Sarah rolled her eyes and started towards the stairs again. "Your a perv you know that?" she called after him.

"Oh I know baby." he called after her.

Carmen watched the two, obviously amused. Damon's face said it all as he stared after the vampire. Oh this was just too perfect.

"You like her!" Carmen accused, only soft enough for him to hear.

Damon gave the woman an annoyed look. "What are we in highschool? Aren't you like a million years old?"

Carmen gave him a pointed look. "Real mature Damon. But I've lived long enough to know a longing stare when I see one. And trust me, you want her."

"Of course I want her. Look at her, what guy wouldn't want her?" he said, gesturing to her.

"Obviously you do." Carmen teased.

"What kind of mom are you?" he asked her.

"The amazing kind who only wants her "daughter" to be happy." Carmen said turning back to her flowers. "But remember what I said about breaking her heart. There's dire consequences there." she warned in a sing song tone.

Damon was about to retort when Sarah came downstairs, dressed in a tank top and a pair of short shorts, ones that would probably qualify as his favorite item of clothing of hers.

"Alright, where are you taking me?" Sarah asked her friend, placing her hands on her hips.

"Thats for me to know and you to find out." Damon told her with a smirk.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Wolfsbane, wolfsbane..." Caroline muttered as she gazed at the stock of ingredients, chewing her lips slightly in concentration. "Where is the stupid wolfsbane?"

Tyler couldn't help but chuckle at her, making her glare at him. "Sorry, your cute when your annoyed."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Well I wouldn't be annoyed if you helped, this isn't for me you know!" she said, whispering lowly at the last part.

Tyler sighed, yeah he knew. This would his third full moon, his third transformation. Caroline had missed the last one, since she was pretty pissed at him at the time. It took talking Jules out of town and a hell of alot of apologizing to get her to even consider their friendship. He guessed they were friends again. She didn't trust him, at all. He couldn't blame her either. He was still paying for the mistake he made, and he did the best he could to make her happy with him again. Matt was pissed off about it, of course, but Matt was the least of his problems.

"Yeah I know." he said, turning to scan the counter. "Why are we buying the full plant again?"

"Because wolfsbane is expensive and it looks suspicious to have it shipped to your house every month." she explained to him. "It'll be better if I just grow it in my back yard."

Tyler raised his eyebrow. "And your mom has no problem with you growing strange plants in your back yard?" he joked.

Caroline actually cracked a small smile for that one. "Whatever Tyler, just keep looking, I have to get back home or Carmen is gonna kick my -"

"Caroline?"

The blonde vampire froze at the sound. "Uh hi Sarah." she said turning towards her friend as the girl stood smirking at her knowingly.

Sarah raised her eyebrow in a teasing fashion. "Hey Caroline." she smiled at the boy behind her. "Tyler." she greeted. "What are you two doing here?"

Caroline glanced down to the bottles in the other vampires hand. Of course she would come to this place, it specialized in weird and exotic plants. It was a small nursery at least half an hour away from Mystic Falls that Caroline had heard about on the web. "Celest's Garden" was a cryptic place, filled with all kinds of herbs and plants that strictly fit with the "supernatural" theme. Thats why it was a perfect place for her to get wolfsbane plants. And apparently it was just the place for Sarah to get herbs for her potions.

"Um," Caroline glanced at Tyler. "We were just getting a few things, what are you doing here?"

Sarah glanced behind her to the counter, where Damon was currently paying for all of her plants. She smiled. "Damon's helping me build my garden at the house." she shrugged. "His way of apologizing. Now what did you need that you had to drive all the way out here for?" she questioned, giving them both a suspicious look.

Caroline and Tyler looked at each other, both unsure of what to say until Caroline sighed in defeat. "We were just getting wo-"

"Wolfsbane?" she questioned, waving the small bottle of seeds in front of them. "I figured, you know it actually does help calming the transformation if you prepare it right."

"Woah, woah, woah." Tyler exclaimed, giving Caroline an accusing stare. "You told her?"

Caroline shrugged. "What? I see her everyday and she's kind of the only person to talk too since Carmen is too busy putting me through the equivelent of water torture." she explained. "Chill, Sarah's good. And she's pretty badass."

Sarah beamed at her. "Aw thanks." she turned back to Damon. "Here that Damon? I'm badass."

"Says Legally Blonde." he called back over his shoulder.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Anyway," she began. "Wolfsbane is in the back, and I recommend you get some silver while your out. It'll help, trust me." she told them just as Damon called out for her. "I'll see you guys later."

The two watched her walk out with the dark haired vampire. Caroline looked at Tyler, a smile on her face. "See, I told you! Badass."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Here's all of the information I have on Klaus and the Originals." Richard sighed as he set down the large box he had filled with his years of work. "Not easy to get, mind you, your lucky you found me."

Katherine quirked her eyebrows a bit, opening one of the thick files. "Apparently I have a lot of luck on my side Richard." she said, her eyes scanning the contents. "So you don't have the location in here anywhere?"

Richard shook his head. "No, thats the thing about Klaus and his little band of psychopaths, their always moving. They have no schedule, no certain routes, they just up and leave randomly. I'm guessing its because Klaus is so bloody paranoid." he told her. "What are you up to Katerina?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

She smirked at him. "Oh Rich, why would you ever think that I was up to something?" she asked, mocking his accent. "I've been good... for the most part."

Richard gave her a skeptical look. "I think your up to something because I know you Kat. If your looking for information on the Originals then that means..." his eyes lit up in realization. "Oh please tell me your joking! Your going to try and kill the Originals? By yourself?"

"Not by myself Rich. I do have a brain." she drawled, picking up another file.

Rich looked at her as if she were crazy. She was after all. "Your out of your pretty little head. If people could kill the Originals then they would be dead already. But unfortanetly its not possible, at least not anymore." he ranted. "And if you fail, they'll come right after me because they'll know I helped you!"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Relax Richard, we won't fail." suddenly her cell phone beeped, causing the man across from her to jump. "And again I say it, Relax." she said as she answered her phone. "Hello Stefan."

"Why the hell haven't you been answering my calls?" Stefan growled on the other line.

Katherine smirked. "Ooh, you know you sound simply delicious when your angry."

"Katherine..."

"Oh lighten up Stefan, it was just a joke. And for your information I've been out of service for the past two weeks. I got some juicy details on the Originals."

Stefan sighed. "We have a problem."

"More?" Katherine asked in a surprised tone. "What else could possibly happen, Stefan?"

"Alot actually." Stefan told her. "Guess who just blew back in town?"

Katherine frowned. "I thought Damon ran John Gilbert out of town for good."

"Not John."

"Then who?" she asked, nodding to Richard to get the rest of the files she needed.

"Serenity."

Katherine froze at that name. "Serenity? As in Serenity Giovanni? Sarah?"

"The very one."

"What is she doing back, I thought I-"

Stefan scoffed. "What killed her?"

Katherine's eyes narrowed. "That not what I was going to say. What is she doing back?"

"She's here for good. She wanted us to know she was alive and now she's gonna help us with the Originals."

Katherine let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "What did she tell you?"

"What do you mean what did she tell me-"

"About the night she was turned Stefan, what did she tell you?" she asked a little louder.

"That you turned her because she was getting in the way of your plans." Stefan told her, obviously surprised at her tone.

Katherine bit her lip, her face turning into a frown. "Good." she said finally. "I'll be back as soon as possible." she told him before hanging up the phone before he could say another word.

Richard brought another box in. "Here's the rest. If anyone asks, and I mean anyone, you did not get this from me." he told her, frowning at her reflection. "You alright KaterinA? You look like you've seen a ghost."

_'Not quite' _she thought, outwardly smiling at him. "I'm fine." she told him before hauling the first box up. She had to get back to Mystic Falls as soon as possible.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah gently smoothed the soil over the seeds she had just planted, saying a quick spell over them. She relished the feeling of the earth in her hands. She always used to garden when she was human. It was a hobby she, her mother and father shared together. They once had an elaborate garden that her family had nurtured for generations, it was her favorite place in the entire world. Her father would grow orchids in a corner of it just for her. She remembered she would just in the garden and relish its wonders when she was a little girl.

"I don't see how you ever enjoyed this." she looked over to Damon struggling to put one of her herb plants into its designated hole. He had dressed in jeans, work boots, and a gray short sleeved shirt to work in the garden with her.

She smiled at him. "You don't force it, you have to guide it into the hole." she told him, gently taking the plant from him and gently placing the roots into the soil.

Damon frowned. "See this is why gardening is your thing, not mine."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I forget your a pretty boy and hate to get dirty."

Damon smirked at her. "Oh I love to get dirty babe, just in bed."

"Can we get through one conversation without a sexual innuendo being tossed around?" she joked.

"Nope." Damon said picking up another herb.

Sarah smiled and sat back, relishing the sun on her skin. "You know I miss this." she mumbled loud enough for him to hear. "I missed actually hanging out with you like we used to. Talking, enjoying the sunshine together."

"Playing in the dirt." Damon added.

"I did not play in the dirt."

"Yes you did, your mother used to throw fits when you ruined your new dresses." Damon reminded her with a smirk.

Sarah grimaced. "One thing I don't miss about the 19th century is those damn dresses."

"Yeah I remember." Damon said as he put the plant in the hole. "Hey it fit."

"Good job, your not completly useless." she commented with a smirk, putting her hand over it. "_Praesodium ex vulnero_."

Damon stared at her as she did the spell and the spot where her hand lay lit in a warm glow for merely a second before it disappeared quickly. "What's that?"

"The Praesodium spell, or the protection spell, its protects the seed from any harm. Something I picked up about 40 years ago." she explained before smiling at him. "Thank you for this Damon."

"Welcome." he said. "Does this mean I'm forgiven."

"Yes your forgiven." she said laughing. "I realize you, Carmen, and Stefan only want to make sure I don't die, how can I be mad at that?" she told him. "But don't think I can't take care of myself. I'm small but I've got a hell of alot of power." she smiled. "And plus I can't stay mad at you for long. I missed you too much."

Damon only smirked. "I know Spazzy." his smirk melted into a worried expression, one he only wore for himself, Elena, or the witch in front of him. "What happened last night?"

Sarah glanced up at him, all the mirth gone. "Nothing, just a bad dream." she lied, hoping he would buy it.

Damon gave her a disbelieving look. "A bad dream that made you lift the entire house?" he said. "What did you dream?"

Sarah sighed. "Nothing you should worry about, it was just a bad dream."

"Carmen told me you said you were going to kill people." Damon told her. "Look Spazzy I could a rats ass about any body else, especially since most of the people in this town are dicks, but this is about you. And I know you, you don't want to kill people." he said, taking her face in his hands. "Now just tell me what's going on."

Sarah peered into his blue eyes that seemed even brighter now. She sighed, placing her hands over his. "It was a vision." she told him. "But I don't trust it and neither should you. Some times things or memories from my subconsious mix in with my visions and it becomes blurred. I don't know if what I saw is even real so really its nothing." she said. "I'm not going to kill anyone, it was basically just a dream."

Damon dropped his hands, giving her a skeptical look. He knew she wasn't telling him something, and she knew he knew. But she decided it was best for some things to be kept secret.

"Fine," he said, not sounding convinced. "But if there is one stitch of trouble, I'm going to raise hell, you got that." he told her.

Sarah nodded. "Of course." she said before smiling. "I missed you Damon."

Damon wouldn't say it, or couldn't say for fear of actually expressing an emotion that could even qualify as an emotion. But...

He missed her too.

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

"_For those who want the truth revealed, open their hearts and secrets unsealed_..." Sarah chanted with her eyes closed in complete focus.

Her room was dark, only illuminated by the white candles that were placed evenly around the room. Her grimoire lay open on her bed in front of her, on a blank page ready to be filled. As she chanted, the flames flickered towards her.

"_From now let minds be...healed_?" Sarah deflated and the flames from the candles extinguished immediately. She sighed and waved her hand, reigniting the flames once again. Pulling her grimoire into her lap, she lightly etched the first line of the spell on the blank page.

"Wow, cryptic." Carmen commented as she leaned in the doorway of the witch's bedroom. "What are you working on?"

Sarah glanced up at her, giving the woman a small smile. "I was trying to write a new spell. I haven't written in my grimoire in a really long time." she tapped her pencil against the book with a sigh. "I'm having a little trouble."

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "What's the spell?" she questioned.

"Truth spell." Sarah told her, jotting down notes.

Carmen looked at her, astonished. "A truth spell? That's a powerful one." she said, moving to peer into the book.

Sarah sighed, looking up at the woman. "I know, and that's the reason I have to get the words right. But it's a bit tricky."

"How long have you been at this?" Carmen asked, glancing around the room that was currently in disarray.

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know what time is it?"

"Almost noon."

Sarah's eyes widened and she cursed loudly before jumping out of bed, running into her bathroom while mumbling under breath. Carmen watched the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" she asked mildly amused.

Sarah stuck her head out of the door. "I'm supposed to be going for a job interview at the Grill." with the questioning look she shrugged. "What? I need something to do other than sit around the house, practice spells, and hang out with you, Caroline, and Damon. Plus it makes us look like a good, normal family."

"Normalcy is overrated." Carmen said flopping on her bed. "You know you could work in my boutique when it opens."

Sarah emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a completely different outfit and running a brush through her hair. "I am not working for you again." she said pointing at her. "Remember when you worked for Coco Chanel and she put me as an intern under you? Yeah worst year of my life." she said.

"Hey, Coco was very demanding. It was her prime year, what did you expect?" Carmen defended.

"Not to be used as a mannequin and a pin cushion." Sarah retorted with a sly smile on her face. "Oh what elaborate lives we have lived."

"Indeed." Carmen agreed. "I like this one though. It's quiet and peaceful. I've actually had time to design and be instead of running for my head and acting. And plus you're smiling more." she let a small smile reach her lips. "That's always good."

Sarah cocked her head at the woman, a teasing smile on her lips. "You know it's weird when your serious." she laughed.

Carmen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Put the flames out before you go." she said before sauntering out.

Sarah rolled her eyes and walked over to her vanity when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen of her blackberry, courtesy of Stefan, and raised an eyebrow when Damon's name popped on screen.

"Hello Damon." she said, putting him on speaker so she could apply her make up.

"Spazzy, I heard someone had lunch with Ms. Martyr yesterday." he joked through the phone.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Your mean."

"Part of my charm babe." he said.

"Did you call to be a dick or do you actually need something?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips as she expertly applied her eyeliner.

"Can't a guy call his best friend just to see what's up?"

"No, at least not you."

Sarah could practically see the smirk on his face. "What are doing tonight?" he asked.

Sarah raised an eyebrow and paused in her movements. "Why?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

"Come to the house for dinner tonight."

Sarah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Is this for something special or...?"

"Stefan's having a small get together with all of his friends. And if you haven't noticed a lot of his friends don't like me."

"I wonder why." she teased, continuing to apply her lipstick.

"Harty har har, congrats you've won the smart ass vampire award 2011."

Sarah laughed. "Fine Damon, I'll come. Do I need to bring anything?"

"Just your beautiful face and an oven mitt. Your helping me cook."

"Fun." she drawled sarcastically. "I have to go; I'm already late for this interview."

"Good luck, if you see Elena making her way towards a cliff do me a favor and save her ass. Can't keep an eye on her all the time."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Goodbye Damon."

"Love you too Spaz."

~*Save Me*~

This sucked. Sarah bit her lip for what felt the hundredth time that day, but at the same time trying not to let her fangs show. She was craving in the worst possible way at that moment. She guessed that was what she got for not drinking after performing magic for extended periods trying to push herself past her own limits. She was so hungry. And the guy in front of her wasn't making it any better. They were in the Grill and there were people surrounding her, too many people. She tried to focus on what he was saying, she really did, but all she could focus on what the sound of the blood pumping through everyone's veins.

"So how much bartending experience do you have?" the man, Robert she remembered, asked.

Sarah licked her lips, trying to keep herself in check. "I worked in some clubs in Chicago. Made some of their house drinks." she told him, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. "I'm pretty damn good at mixing things."

"So I've tasted." he said, holding up his drink slightly. "This is good and I'm impressed. But I have just one more thing to ask you before I give you this job." he said, turning serious. "Our last two bartenders went missing, don't know why, and I don't know where too, but they both up and disappeared off the map." he explained to him. "So I wanted to let you know that before you find out through the grape vine, and I wanted to make sure your comfortable taking this job."

Sarah's eyebrow scrunched slightly at this information. She knew there was something sketchy about Mystic Falls. There always was. She nodded, putting on her best smile. "Yeah I'm fine with it. You don't have to worry about me." she said.

Robert smiled. "Great, can you start Monday?" he said putting his hand out for her to shake.

Sarah forced a smile, feeling her urge growing as she pinpointed exactly which vein on his wrist would exert the most blood. She hated this. "Yeah, thank you so much." she said before standing up. "I'm so sorry, but I have to run to the bathroom really quick."

"No problem, I'll just get your schedule."

Sarah nodded, still holding her smile until she reached the bathroom. She went to the mirror, groaning as she saw her eyes fade to red and veins press against her skin. Her fangs protruded from her gums and ached with hunger. She gripped the sink hard, probably creating dents in the linoleum.

'_Breath, 1...2...3... Just like Carmen taught you._' she thought, taking in deep breaths.

And that was when she heard the gasp. A girl stood outside of a stall and stared at her reflection through the mirror, shocked at the sight. Sarah didn't hesitate to use her vampire speed to pin the girl to the wall, peering at the frightened girl with her red eyes and bared fangs.

_'Calm down_.' she thought to herself, fighting the urge to sink her fangs deep into the girl's neck and suck her dry.

She took a breath and looked into her eyes. "Alright," she began, bringing her into compulsion. "You're going walk out of this bathroom and not remember anything that just happened." she said. "Now go."

The girl walked out immediately, not looking back. Sarah sighed and slumped against the wall, groaning as the aching in her teeth returned.

"Well, that was nice of you. You always were a sweet heart."

Sarah froze at the voice, terrified to turn around and confirm her fears. It couldn't be could it? "Katherine." she said, her voice mixed with shock and hate.

"Sarah." Katherine drawled. "It's good to see you."

Sarah turned to face the vampire, a glare imprinted on her face. "Can't say I feel the same." she answered, crossing her arms over her chest. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Damon didn't tell you?" she inquired. "I'm helping with this little "Kill Klaus, Save Elena" thing. Oh and I've joined your body guard squad." she told her. "You know you haven't changed a bit."

Sarah's glare only deepened. "That tends to happen when you turn someone into a vampire and destroy any chance they have at having a normal life." she said in the same nonchalant tone Katherine used.

"Don't tell me you're still mad at that." Katherine said with a bit of a pout.

Sarah rolled her eyes and used her vampire speed to pin Katherine to the wall, who only smirked at her. Sarah growled. "You ruined my life." she yelled. "And you killed my parents! God and then you show up here? Do you enjoy making my life a living hell?"

Katherine only stared at her, her expression...was almost sad. "You really don't remember do you?" she muttered sadly.

Sarah stepped back in confusion of her words and Katherine took that chance to turn her around so that Sarah was pinned to the wall. Sarah struggled with no avail against the older vampire's grip, who gave her a stern and serious look. "Look," Katherine began, shaking her roughly once to stop her from struggling. "You're going to meet me at the Salvatore Boarding House in my room while Stefan's little friends are there. That way you won't try to kill me and you won't think I'll kill you."

"Why the hell should I do anything you say?" Sarah ground out, giving up trying to break from her grip.

Katherine sighed. "Because I'm going to tell you what really happened that night, the night I turned you." She told her. "If you want to know, come. But if you want to spend the rest of your existence wondering why that night is so sketchy, be my guest." she released her from her grip. "It's your choice. And I'll trust you'll make the right one."

With that she was gone. Sarah stared at the spot where she once stood. Hell was going to break loose.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"So let me get this straight," Stefan began with a strained tone of annoyance. "You went to see Sarah?"

Katherine rolled her eyes from her place on top of Stefan's desk, continuing to file her nails. "Yes Stefan."

"And you told her to come here to you two could "talk"?" he continued.

"Yes Stefan."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Damon spat from his place behind Stefan, who though it better if he stood in between the two vampires. "Do you not know that Sarah, aka a witch/vampire who could rip you apart with a thought, hates your guts?"

Katherine glared at him. "I know she hates me." She said in a low and angry tone.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Good then you're just suicidal. Maybe Sarah can drive a stake through your heart and get you out of my hair for good."

Stefan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as an attempt to ease his head ache that he was gaining fast. "Katherine, this is…a horrible, terrible idea."

"I have it under control." Katherine told them, inspecting her nails in a nonchalant manner. "I told her that I would tell her the truth and we all know Sarah. She's going to come to find out the truth."

"And what exactly is the truth?" Damon questioned.

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "That's between me and Sarah. But I'm sure you'll find out somehow."

"Fine, this can happen." Stefan told her. "But you cannot hurt Sarah."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "I couldn't hurt her if I tried, Stefan. She might be younger than me by 300 years but she's a hybrid. Hybrids of any race are nearly unbeatable. You'd have to be dealing with a pretty stupid one, but fortunately Sarah is certainly not that." Katherine told him.

"So what do you get out of this?" Damon asked suspiciously. "Sarah's trust? A few points off of your bitch meter?"

"Who said I'm getting anything out of this, Damon?" Katherine snapped back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get something to eat before your little event. When Sarah gets here, tell her where my room is."

Damon and Stefan watched the vampire saunter out. This was not going to end well.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

_September 24 1864_

_"How girls in England ever think that this is fashionable I will never know." Sarah groaned in a hitched breath as again her corset was tightened. "Why is Papa putting me through this torture?"_

_ Victoria Giovanni only smiled from her daughter's bed, gazing at one of her daughters newest drawings. "You're father only wants you to get along with the other girls at the party, darling. You can't spend all your time with Damon and Stefan, can you?" _

_ "What's the matter with that?" Sarah asked, smiling at her maid and attempting to breath in the corset that squeezed her torso in. "Thank you Anna."_

_ "Serenity, darling, I love those boys as if they were my own sons. But you're a twenty two year old woman now. Isn't it time to broaden your prospects?" Victoria offered, turning the sketch of her up with a smile. "You do me such justice, darling." She enthused earning a small smile from her daughter._

_ "Mama if I could tolerate the girls at those parties, I would gladly be friends with them. But their terrible…and boring!" Sarah exclaimed as she slipped her dress over her head. "The only thing they converse about is potential husbands and how more beautiful they are than other girls. Sometimes I just want to stand up and slap one of them."_

_ "Serenity…"_

_ "Mama, it's true." Sarah breathed, smoothing her dress in the mirror. "It's always 'Serenity don't you think Stefan is absolutely gorgeous?' or 'Serenity why haven't you married Damon yet?' It's insufferable!" she ranted, as she sat at her vanity in frustration. _

_ Victoria smirked knowingly and stood to cross over to her daughter. She picked up her silver brush and gently brushed a lock of her raven hair. Sarah sighed and leaned into her mother's gentle touch. _

_ "Darling, I don't expect you to be like the other girls. Your father and I did not raise you as such." Victoria told her daughter. "But maybe one day you'll see the light in those girls, that not all of them are bad. Just like when you travel the world someday, like you've always dreamed. There is bad, but there is also good. Great good. Remember that dear." Victoria said glancing at her beautiful daughter in the mirror, tears coming to her eyes._

_ Sarah leaned back to look at her mother, a confused look on her face. "Mama, what's wrong? Are you alright?"_

_ Victoria chuckled at her and nodded, continuing her brushing. "Nothing darling, you are just so stunning. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful daughter." She said as she picked up a ribbon proceeded to tie it into her daughters hair. "And smart. That will take you so far."_

_ Sarah gave her mother a worried guise. "Mama, you're on a tangent. Now what is all this about?"_

_ "I told you, nothing darling." Victoria told her, smoothing her hair. "I love you, you know that right?" she asked her. _

_ Sarah gave her a soft smile, gripping her mother's hand in hers. "Of course Mama, I love you too."_

_ "Good." Victoria laughed just as there was a knock on her door. "I'm guessing that's Damon here to be your escort."_

_ Sarah shrugged at her mother's playful look. "Stefan took Katherine. It was him or George Lockwood, and Damon certainly wouldn't let that happen." She said with a laugh._

_ Victoria chuckled. "Come in Damon, she's decent and beautiful as ever."_

_ The young man stepped in the room, decked in a suit with his hair combed and slicked back just for this night. He smiled at the two women, his beautiful blue eyes never leaving his best friend. Sarah smiled at him. "Don't you clean up nice." She teased._

_ Damon let out a chuckle. "The same for you Spazzy." He joked before walking over and giving Victoria a chaste kiss on the hand. "Ms. Giovanni, you look elegant as usual."_

_ Victoria smiled at them boy before playfully glaring at him. "Damon Giuseppe Salvatore, if I have told you once, I have told you at least a million times, you may call me Tori, or at least Victoria! I've known you since you were a boy, when you were still maturing into your voice." Victoria added with a smile. _

_ Damon only chuckled at the woman. "Of course Victoria."_

_ "Good." Victoria said, smiling. "Now, if only my husband would hurry so we can head to the ball that we are __**already late for."**__ She called out, knowing she was reaching her husband's ears._

_ Alessandro came to lean on his daughter's doorway; he stared at his wife in amusement with the same silver orbs as Sarah. "I'm ready now amore, we can go along." He told his love in his thick Italian accent, smiling at his family. "Oh Sarah, my principessa you are gorgeous." He complimented, crossing to give his daughter a kiss on the forehead. "Magnifico."_

_ Sarah blushed at her father's compliments. "Grazie Papa." She said, mimicking her father's accent. "Shouldn't you and Mama be going however? It isn't polite for the honored guest to be late."_

_ "Says Miss Mystic Falls." Alessandro chuckled before turning to Damon. "Damon, you take care of my principessa tonight." _

_ "As always Alessandro." Damon said._

_ Victoria frowned. "Oh so you call him by his first name but I have to threaten you to call me by mine?"_

_ Alessandro sighed and took his wife's hand, preparing to lead her to the door. "Come along amore." He said. "And Sarah," he smiled at her, brightly and lovingly. "Enjoy tonight, I love you with my heart."_

_ Sarah frowned just a bit but it softened quickly into a smile. "I love you too Papa." She told him, looking to Damon who looked equally confused._

_ With a final farewell, her parents finally went ahead to the party. Sarah stood to put on her heels, still reeling her parent's words in her head. "I wonder what could be wrong with them?" she wondered aloud. "I've never seen them…so full of energy."_

_ Damon raised an eyebrow. "Your parents are always full of energy, Spazzy."_

_ Serenity rolled her eyes. "I know, but tonight was just different…" she trailed off. _

_ "Let's not think on it tonight. " Damon told her, putting his hands on her shoulder. "You just focus on having fun. On top of escorting a beautiful woman like you, I can gloat to that bastard Lockwood-"_

_ "Damon."_

_ "I'm only partially joking." Damon said with a smile. "You do look gorgeous Spazzy."_

_ "Thank you Damon." Sarah smiled at the man before her, taking his hand in hers. "Now, let's go enjoy ourselves. We're only young once right?"_

Sarah was broken from her thoughts as she found herself pulling up to the Salvatore Boarding House. She replayed that event in her head. It was the last time she seen her parent smiling, happy, normal. The night she and they would all die. She wondered why they were acting so strange. They must have known that something was happening, or that something was going to happen. They must have….and she was going to figure out what it is.

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Please tell me you're not going to burn down the house." Elena said as she watched Damon season a chicken from her spot sitting on the counter.

Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry; unlike you I have the incredible ability to work an oven. Amazing no?" he said sarcastically, continuing to prepare the chicken. "Shouldn't you be helping Stefan or, I don't know, not be here or something?"

Elena gave him an annoyed look. "No, he and Caroline went to hunt before the party." She told him, grabbing an apple from the counter. "Where did you learn to cook?" she asked.

Damon sighed, trying to focus on his dish. "What do you think I'm gonna poison everyone's food?" at her sharp look he rolled his eyes. "Please, if I wanted everyone dead then….yeah everybody would be dead."

"Why did you avoid my question?" she asked.

"Why do you keep asking them?" he countered, proceeding to put the chicken in the overn.

Elena cocked her head at him, giving him an frustrated look. "Damon…"

"Alright, fine," he said, turning away to check on his other food on the stove. "1850-something. I was seventeen and it was a little before I was about to join the dumb asses in uniform, and Sarah's mother decided one day that I needed to learn how to cook."

Elena's eyebrows creased in interest. "Sarah's mother?" she asked.

"Yep. Think of Carmen, add Sarah, and throw in some Betty Crocker and you got Victoria Giovanni." He said, a small smile forming on his lips. "She taught boy wonder and I to cook. She said every man should know how to because she'd be damned if we made our wives cook every day."

"She sounds nice." Elena remarked. She was going to pry just a bit more. She had never heard Damon talk about the 19th century with such…fondness. It seemed that he opened more ever since Sarah came along… It was interesting.

"She was." He said. "Our mother died sometime after Stefan was born, so somebody had to be there."

Elena's face softened. "Damon, I'm so sorry."

Damon realized what he said and stopped his stirring immediately, turning to face her with cold eyes. "You know, you really need to stop apologizing about things you can't control. You'd be surprised how less guilty you feel about bullshit."

"Its called being nice." Elena shot back. "Why are you such an ass?"

Damon opened his mouth to retort when Carmen waltzed into the room, humming happily with a smile on her face. "Damon this food smells amazing!" she praised, smiling at the vampire who was currently glaring at Elena. "Baked chicken with mac and cheese and, is that pumpkin pie I smell?"

Damon narrowed his eyes still at Elena. "Sarah's favorite, thought she might like it considering tonight." He said.

Carmen nodded, and glanced at Elena. "Your right. And speaking of Sarah, go let her in, she's at the door struggling with her keys again." She told him.

Damon wordlessly did as she said. Carmen waited until he left the room to turn to Elena with a disappointed expression. Elena gave her a confused guise. "What?" she asked defensively.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Carmen asked her dispassionately.

Elena's eyes widened in surprise at her words. "What?"

Okay look," Carmen began with a irritated sigh. "You push that man to his limits. And you keep doing it. At first I was like, hey he deserves it he was being an ass at that moment, but now it seems your just being a bitch."

Elena's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? You don't know what he's done to people! What he's done to me!"

"Probably not as bad as 160 years worth of what Damon has been through." Carmen told her, leaning back on the counter with crossed arms. "I'm not trying to say what Damon has done is right, but you gotta leave him the hell alone. The more you press, the more say you hate him, the more you hurt him, the more he's gonna wanna hurt you back." She said.

"That does not excuse him." Elena started. "He has killed innocent people! He's done nothing but make Stefan's life miserable, and he's hurt so many!" she ranted. "He's pushed me to the point where I've hated him."

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Okay," she said. "Your right. Damon's a horrible person. Why should he deserve to be happy, to go a day where nobody bothers him or hates him? Why does he deserve to not be miserable for the rest of his existence? Why should he deserve to be thanked when he helps or does something nice because it doesn't measure up to the bad he's done? I mean, you can be the judge of a lifetime of consequences ? Your only 18 right? Less than two decades." Carmen asked sarcastically. "You need to a learn the other side of Damon a little better. The side Sarah actually strives to see. You're a nice girl, I like you. I don't want to see you or Damon hurt."

Elena just stared at the woman as Sarah and Damon walked back into the room. Damon had a smile on his face, a genuine smile that she had never seen before. Sarah was laughing at something he said, holding his arm slightly. He looked legitimately happy. Maybe, just maybe, Carmen was right.

Carmen smiled at her "daughter". "Well its about time you showed up."

"I would've been here earlier, but I had to get a bite to eat." At the three's questioning looks she sighed. "It was bunny blood! I was craving and I wouldn't have made it all the way here before I snapped and tapped a vein."

Carmen tatted at her. "Always drink a glass after performing magic, hun. You get serious munchies."

Sarah only rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me." She said before she sniffed the air. "Is that pumpkin pie?" she asked hopefully, breathing in the heavenly aroma.

Damon smirked. "Yep, and there's cookies and cream in the fridge. Kinda a treat for you and me."

Sarah smiled at him. "Your awesome," her smile fell slightly. "But I gotta go upstairs and deal with a pest problem."

"You know Katherine's here?" Elena asked.

Sarah looked at Damon, narrowing her eyes. "She knew she was here and I didn't?"

Damon glared at Elena once again. "Pumpkin pie, pumkin pie." He told her.

"The only thing keeping you alive right now." She said. "After though. This has to happen before I lose my nerve."

"Good luck." Carmen told her with a smile.

Damon nodded at her, giving her a reassuring smile. Sarah returned it and sighed, starting upstairs. Katherine's room was located on the floor just above Stefan's, in the back of the house that faced the back yard. She stood in front of the door, scared to death to knock. She was regretting her decision to know what happened that night. Because, above all reasoning's, it terrified her. Her very existence right now could be very well based on a lie. Her hate for Katherine, her reasons for coming back could have been for nothing.

Suddenly the door swung open, revealing Katherine in all her malicious glory. "Doors open." She greeted sarcastically before turning away from her too sit on the bed.

Sarah rolled her eyes and walked into the room. "Lets just get this over with." She said, sitting down her bag and pulling out three candles.

Katherine raised an eyebrow at her. "And what are you doing?" she asked her as the girl place the three candles in a triangle on her table.

Sarah gave her a smile, a sarcastic and fake smile Katherine added. "Just a small spell so you don't screw me over…again." She said, pulling out her grimoire.

Katherine watched as she lit the candles with her hands. "What kind of spell?"

Sarah opened her grimoire and smirked. "You'll see." She continued, turning her eyes to the book. "_For those who want the truth revealed, opened hearts and secrets unsealed, from now until now again, let dishonesty be silenced until the end. "_

The flames rose with each word spoken before disappearing at the end of the spell. Katherine waited for the effects to take hold but she didn't feel a thing. "Is that it?" she asked.

"Is my hair black?" Sarah suddenly asked.

Katherine gave her a confused look. "Yes."

"Are you and Elena biologically identical?"

"Yes." She found herself blurting out.

Sarah smirked. "Are you a vampire?"

"Yes" Katherine answered again.

"Who's the better lover, Stefan or Damon?" Sarah interrogated, enjoying this spell immensely.

"Damon." Katherine revealed, shocking herself. "What the hell?" she exclaimed.

"Cool, it works." Sarah cheered. "One more. Are you a bitch?"

"Yes." Katherine spoke, her hands flying to her mouth in shock.

Sarah sighed. "Oh yes, I'm going to love this spell."

Katherine glowered at her. "What is this?" she snarled.

"My new and improved Truth Spell." Sarah said, pulling up the desk chair to face Katherine. "You can't lie at all for 24 hours. I know how torturous that'll be for you."

"Funny." Katherine spat. "Just get what you want out of me."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and sat back in the seat, getting nice and comfortable. "Alright, first question," she started. "That night, why didn't you just let me die?"

"I couldn't." Katherine answered almost immediately.

Sarah knew this was going to be interesting. "And why not?"

"Because I couldn't kill my best friend." Katherine revealed, visibly shocking the younger vampire in front of her.

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed. "So instead you turned me? Why?"

Katherine sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair. She was trying to fight the spell. But it wouldn't work, Sarah was too strong for that. "I did it so I could save you." She said.

Save her? Sarah gawked at the words. "If what your saying is the truth, why don't I remember what really happened that night?"

"Because your mother gave me a potion enabling me to compel you." Katherine said, her face going sad. "The potion holds the compulsion until I break it, and I made you forget everything about that night."

Sarah moved from the chair to sit on the bed with Katherine. "My mother was a witch." She said to herself more than Katherine. It made sense now. "Why did you make me forget that night?" she asked in an almost desperate tone.

Katherine averted her eyes, not being able to control the words that poured from her mouth. "It was part of our plan. Me and yours." She said before looking up at her, tears in her eyes. Sarah had never seen Katherine cry, and she thought she never would either. "There's no good way to explain this too you. Trust me, I've wondered 145 years how this would go. So I'm just going to show you," she said, looking her in the eyes. "Remember that night Sarah."

With those words, Sarah saw her world go black.

_**~*September 24, 1864*~**_

_ Sarah walked into her house later after the Founders Ball, a beaming and giddy smile on her face. Damon had kissed her, legitimately kissed her, and it was wonderful! They danced the night away, made fun of the stuffy aristocrats and…he kissed her! Right underneath the stars at their spot beneath the tall oak tree. She was elated; she was in a blissful state that nothing could shake her from. Except for the scene that she fell upon in her living room._

_ Her parents stood there beside their elaborate fireplace, looking at her sadly. Katherine sat at her couch, looking at her the same way. It immediately deflated her mood, seeing her parents and best friends in such a depressed disposition. She set her heels to the floor and joined the three._

_ "What's going on?" Sarah asked, looking to her parents. "Mama? Papa?"_

_ "Darling I think you should sit down." Victoria told her daughter. _

_ Sarah was hesitant in the action but did as her mother told. The silence in the room was almost suffocating, only the crackle of the fireplace could fill the insufferable void. Sarah peered at her best friend with confused silver spheres, searching for an answer to her questions. Katherine glanced up at her._

_ "Netty," Katherine began. "Remember when I promised you, at Setair, that I was going to protect you no matter what?" _

_ Sarah recounted the memory with a fondness. "Yes, we made a pact. I protect you, you protect me." She reminded her, still muddled. "What does this have to do with anything?"_

_ "Serenity," her mother said, rushing over to kneel at her side. "Yesterday you over heard your father and I discussing the burnings happening in Salem. How their accusing people there of witchcraft and burning them?"_

_ "Yes." Sarah said. "You said you were glad we got out of Salem while we could back then. Your not answering my questions."_

_ "Serenity did you think of why I said that?" Victoria asked. "Why your father and I were so concerned with the matter?"_

_ Sarah shook her head. "No, I just figured anyone would be disgusted with the problem. Mama your crying." She said reaching out to wipe the tears from her mothers._

_ Alessandro came to stand beside his wife, a sigh escaping her lips. "We're telling you this because its coming to Mystic Falls rapidly. In a few days they will begin burning people at the stake with the charge of witchcraft."_

_ "That's mad!" Sarah stood up in anger. "They can't do that! Witchcraft is a fallacy, something you only read about in fairy tales!"_

_ "But it isn't." Katherine interrupted her rant._

_ "Kat, don't be ridiculous. Magic is not real."_

_ Katherine sighed, bringing her friend back to the couch. "When you make a promise to a witch, you can never break it. You are bound magically until the day that witch dies to always uphold that promise." She told her. "I made a promise to you to always protect you, and so I'm here to night to maintain that promise."_

_ Sarah's eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at her mother and father, who she only found looking at their feet. It couldn't be. "You're saying I'm a witch?" _

_ "A witch from a long line of powerful and great witches and warlocks." Alessandro told her. "We bound your powers when you were born so that you could live a normal life that we never had, so that you could be free of the persecution and judgment of being a witch."_

_ Sarah tried to process his words and the information she had just received. She stared at Katherine, disbelief written on her face. "And you knew?" she asked the girl._

_ Katherine nodded. "It's easy to sniff out a witch. You have a lot of power buried deep inside of you, I knew the second you approached me all those years ago."_

_ "Are you…?" Sarah began to ask but it seemed she couldn't even choke the word "witch" out._

_ Katherine shook her head. "No…I'm something…much worst."_

"What the hell happened?" Damon demanded as he watched Carmen tend to his best friend, who lay on Katherine's bed in an unconscious state.

Katherine rolled her eyes from the other side of the bed. "I broke my compulsion on her and now she's currently gaining some deeply repressed memories back." She said. "She's fine though. When she wakes up it'll feel like she just had a really long nap with some really lucid dreams."

Stefan, who sat at the foot of her bed, looked through Sarah's grimoire. "She's telling the truth." He said. "This spell looks pretty solid."

Damon smirked. "Well, well, well looks like your in for one hell of a 24 hours." He teased mercilessly, crossing his arms over his chest. "So tell me Katherine, do you find me attractive?"

Katherine rolled her eyes again. "Yes." She muttered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Knock it off Damon." Carmen said, smirking at him. "As amusing as this is, Sarah does not like her magic being misused."

"But its so much fun!" Damon joked. "Hey Katherine who's hotter, me or Mason?"

"Damon…" Stefan drawled, a smirk coming to his own face.

"Just partially kidding." He said before turning to Sarah, brushing a piece of her hair out of her face. "You're a freaking genius Spaz."

"A genius who is not waking up anytime soon." Carmen said with a sigh. "How many memories did you make her forget?" she questioned Katherine.

Katherine shrugged. "Just one, really big one." She said, shifting her gaze to the unconscious girl. "A really, really big one."

_ "So the Founders want to burn me in the church along with you and the other vampires?" Sarah asked, staring into the fire. _

_ Katherine nodded. "That man that we met yesterday, Evan Basinger, tipped them off to you. He works in a very elite group of vampires that want to rule over humans and other supernatural beings so that vampire's will be the dominate species. The only way he can do that is through you." She explained to her._

_ "Then what is killing me going to do?" Sarah wondered. _

_ "If you liquefy the ashes of a witch and drink them, you can gain the powers of that witch." Victoria explicated to her daughter. "You are one of the few witches on the planet who can sustain being both a witch and a vampire. Hybrids, they call you. When a witch is turned into a vampire then they relinquish all of their wiccan powers. But you, your special, you magic is powerful enough to dilute vampire blood just enough."_

_ "And he can't have that." Katherine said. "If that happens, he will be unstoppable."_

_ Sarah ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "So what do you want me to do? Run? Leave town?"_

_ "Yes." Alessandro said, sighing heavily. "But that can't just be it. He will trace you and try to find you again. You have to completely disappear." _

_ "But what about you and Mama?" she asked. _

_ "They don't suspect us of using witchcraft." Alessandro said. "Only you."_

_ Sarah stared into the fire once more. She had to disappear, leave her life behind. She had to leave her parents, her home, her friends, Stefan. She had to leave Damon. Her heart clenched in her chest at the mention of leaving the man she loved. Would she ever see him again? Probably not. But she was saving herself. She was saving the world. That was worth it right? But she couldn't… All her mind seemed to focus on was Damon._

_ "So what do we do?" Sarah asked. "How am I going to get out of town?"_

_ "I'm going to get you out." Katherine told her. "But I have to come back, I can't just leave with you it'll tip Basinger off. And you can't just suddenly disappear."_

_ "What do you suppose I do then?" she asked._

_ "I don't know." Katherine answered. "When they burn the vampires in Fell's Church, that's when I'll escape. They'll think that I'm dead." She looked at Serenity. "And no one will ask questions about it." Said slowly as she realized a plan was formulating in Sarah's head._

_ ''So that's it then.." Sarah concluded, causing everyone in the room to look at her. "A fake death. They can't know I just left, they will come after you. They have to think I died, that their only chance at ever gaining my abilities is gone." She looked at her mother's shocked face. "Mama it's the only way."_

_ "How are we going to fake your death?" Katherine questioned her. "I can't get both of us out that night, we'd be caught and Basinger is smart. He'll do anything to find you. Look into your memories, trace you. He can follow your thought patterns. That's his thing."_

_ "Erase my memory." Serenity told her. "Erase all of my memories of this night. Make me think something happened, something so bad that I will never want to return. That way if Evan ever figures out what really happened, my thought patterns will be too erratic to follow. He won't know where I am."_

_ "Serenity its too dangerous." Her mother contended. "Even if we do erase your memories, that doesn't mean he won't find you. And when he does he'll either kill you or torture you until you will him your powers."_

_ "I'll turn her then." Katherine said, causing everyone to look at her as if she'd gone crazy. "At least when she's a vampire Evan can't stop her. A hybrid is a dangerous thing to tangle with and he wouldn't stand a chance."_

_ "I agree." Sarah said, looking at her parents. "I'm still trying to process all of this, and I'm not sure about anything right now. But I am sure that I want to protect you, Kat, Stefan, and Damon. The world should not have to suffer because we weren't careful with this." She argued. "In order for this plan to work, in order for us all to make this successful, I need to die. I need a reason never to come back, and I need to believe I was killed, so does the rest of the town."_

_ "And how do we do this Sarah?" Alessandro questioned, his wife looking at him in disbelief._

_ Sarah glanced at her mother, who went to stand silently beside the fireplace, for there was nothing else she could do. "I don't know exactly, my plan stopped there. You know me, for me never to want to come back here, something terrible would have to be done to me. Maybe I would have to believe someone hurt me, or killed me. But it would have to be someone I actually care about, someone like-"_

_ "Me." Katherine spoke, looking down in her lap at her hands. "I have to kill you."_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Damon lay beside Sarah, reading a book peacefully as the girl slept beneath his comforter. Sarah had been asleep for the past 3 hours, and laughter could still be heard downstairs from the dinner. Katherine had decided to leave the house for a while, but promised to be back right after Sarah woke up. The mess that always came with Katherine was irking his nerve. Especially since it involved Sarah. He looked down at the girl drowned in his comforter

"How's she doing?" Carmen asked, walking into the room with a steaming mug in her hand.

"Still out like a light." Damon muttered, turning back to his book.

Carmen sighed and set the mug on his bed side table, looking down at her daughter curled into Damon's arm. "The things I do for this girl." She mumbled with a small smile. "Its interesting to think that as vulnerable as she is now she can destroy someone with a thought."

"Like mother like daughter right?" Damon said.

Carmen put her hands on her hips. "And what does that mean?"

"Oh please, like you can't easily just rip somebody's head off." Damon drawled, giving her a pointed look. "How old are you anyway?"

"Much older than you, youngin." Carmen said, mocking a Southern accent. "Are you going somewhere with this?"

Damon shrugged. "Maybe… Maybe Katherine's not the only one with secrets."

"And like Katherine, I have a reason for my secrets." Carmen told him. "But some secrets…there meant to be kept."

"Like yours?"

"Especially mine Damon." She said. "Everyone has secrets. I don't think anyone's ready for the consequences that come with mine. That's an entirely other chapter of this crazy ass mixed up story that we're just not yet ready to write." She continued with a sigh. "This is a perfect example of that."

"What happened?" he asked. "For 145 years I've thought she was dead. I've spent a century missing her, wondering what the hell happened. What was she doing this entire time?"

Carmen shrugged. "Living, I guess? When I found her that night, she was shivering over the corpse of some old man, she doesn't remember but I'm sure she will soon. She had already transitioned and she was… asking for more blood. She had become addicted to human blood on her first taste and she almost attacked another human until I knocked her out and took her back to my room at the old Inn. She was so scared. And the only name she kept repeating was yours."

She sighed and sat at the foot of the bed, gazing at Sarah with a fondness. "She discovered her powers the next morning. Blew up my lamp when she started freaking out over the fact that she was a vampire. But she got used to it quickly. She trained, I taught her to control her bloodlust and we traveled the world. That was until we met a man named Evan Basinger."

"Evan Basinger?" Damon questioned. "The dick who owns that software company?"

Carmen nodded. "That very one. We met him in the 50's when we worked as nurses for the war in Korea. He was a doctor then. I don't know much about him except that he's a very powerful vampire who wants Sarah. There've been others who've came after her powers but none of them are as persistent as him."

"So he's the one that's after her?" he asked, receiving a nod. "You two attract trouble worse than Elena."

"Yes well its to be expected if you're the only hybrid on Earth." Carmen said with a shrug. "She's faced to many demons in her past. I'm glad she's burying this one. She can finally settle down. Have friends, a life," she smiled at him. "Find love."

Before Damon could question the last remark she was already walking out of the room. "When she wakes up make sure she drinks that tea, she's going to need it." She called over her shoulder.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_ "This potion should give you the ability to compel her." Victoria said, handing a small thin vial to Katherine as she sat across from Sarah who fiddled nervously in an arm chair they had set up for her._

_ Katherine swirled the contents gently, finding the ability to look at the girl in front of her difficult. She watched as Alessandro and Victoria big their teary goodbyes to their daughter, who only sobbed in their arms. She was guilty. For the first time in her life, she felt terrible for the actions she was about to do. She was about to rip a family apart, just as her family had been ripped from her. She was about to kill her best friend, her first real best friend in a very, very long time. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was such a new sensation from her. It hurt. As Alessandro pulled a weeping Victoria from the room, he nodded at her, signaling that she could commence with their plan. She looked back down to the vial and downed the substance, noting the burning sensation as it ran down her throat._

_ "I'm never going to see them again, huh?" Sarah asked, her voice meek and quiet from crying._

_ Katherine sighed, fighting back her own tears. "Probably not." She answered truthfully._

_ Sarah let a teary smile reach her lips. "I guess its for the best then." She said. "Their safe this way."_

_ Katherine nodded. 'Yeah. I'll erase their memories in the morning. They'll think you never came home last night."_

_ "That's good then." Sarah said, trying to convince herself more than Katherine. _

_ Katherine took her hand in hers and gave her a sympathetic smile. "You know, you're the bravest person I know Netty."_

_ Sarah smiled. "Don't get soft on me now Kat." _

_ Katherine smiled back at her. "That's your job Netty." She joked back. "Do…do you have any last words?"_

_ Sarah breathed in a deep sigh. "Just the usual. Tell Stefan he was the best brother a girl could have, even if we weren't related, I loved him like he was my brother." She smiled sadly. "And tell Damon… I love him."_

_ Katherine wasn't shocked at those words. She knew, from the first time she had heard Damon Salvatore's name slip from Sarah's lips. Sarah loved Damon. It was a fact. He loved her too. He just didn't know it yet. Katherine bit her lip, cursing herself as tears fell down her cheeks. _

_ "Lets get this over with." Sarah started. "Before I get too scared."_

_ Katherine nodded, lifting her wrist slightly. She didn't wince as her fingernail cut into her skin, drawing her blood. She held it to Sarah, who stared at it hesitantly before taking her first taste of blood before the wound closed just as quickly as it was made. Katherine sighed and looked into Sarah's silver eyes, capturing the girl in her enchanting gaze._

_ "When you wake up, you're not going to remember anything about this night, and you won't until I tell you too." She began, her pupils dilating rapidly. "Instead, you're going to remember that you had a wonderful night at the Founders Ball and then when you thought you were meeting Damon at your spot at the tree, I came and broke your heart. You're going to remember that I took Damon from you and because you were an interference I had to kill you and your parents."_

_ She wanted to cry, to scream. She didn't want to do this to her. She didn't deserve this kind of misery._

_ "You're going to remember that I said hurtful things to you." She continued, biting back sobs. "And that you hurt me back, because your Sarah and you don't take that from anyone." She laughed bitterly at that. "And you're going to remember that your selfish and terrible best friend, who loves you dearly, killed you tonight. And you're going to hate me for it. I wish you didn't have to." She gripped Sarah's hand. "But you do."_

_ Katherine blinked her eyes, letting tears flow freely down her face. Sarah broke her trance and clenched her best friends hand in hers, smiling sadly with her own tears. "I love you Kat."_

_ Katherine smiled back, trying to calm her sobs. "I love you too Netty." She said, her voice cracking slightly. She brought her hands to rest on either side of Sarah's head, who closed her eyes gently. "And I'm sorry."_

_ With that, Katherine twisted her head sharply to the side with a sickening crack. Katherine watched as Sarah slumped in the chair, dead and lifeless, and for the first time in a long time…_

_ Katherine cried._

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah's eyes slowly fluttered open as she was abruntly pulled from the memory. The images still flowed through her head, twisting to permanently become a part of her subconscious. She remembered it, everything. She had…wanted to die, she had wanted Katherine to kill her. She wanted this life.

"Spaz?" her eyes shot to Damon, who lay propped beside her, watching her with worry. He reached over to brush a piece of her hair from her face. "Come on Spaz, talk to me."

The door opened, revealing Katherine, who stood there expectantly, giving her a sad look. Sarah pushed Damon's comforter off of her body and swung her legs over the large bed wordlessly. Damon watched as Sarah wobbled slightly over to Katherine, prepared to break up a fight if need be. Katherine held her breath as he stopped in front of her, staring at her with a blank expression. That was when the tear slid down Sarah's face and she wrapped her arms around Katherine…and cried.

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	9. Dear Readers

Dear Readers,

First off I wanna say how amazingly awesome you guys are. Sometimes I've wanted to give up on this one in some of my worst cases of writers block but you guys give me hope!

Second I have a treat for you! Wanna see Sarah and Carmen plus more? Go to my profile and the pictures of your two favorite vampires are right there! Enjoy!

Signed,

_WatIfAngel93_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Damon, I am perfectly fine! I don't need you to tag along tonight!" Sarah told her best friend as she stuffed a number of items into her duffel bag.

Damon rolled his eyes as he lay on her bed, flipping through her grimoire. "Please! You can barely walk to your front porch without getting into trouble. Your not going alone."

Sarah paused in her movements, candle in her hands, and sent Damon a look. "Its one werewolf. An inexperienced werewolf at that and plus Caroline is going to be there."

"And legally blonde is supposed to make me feel better?" he scoffed. "I'm going. Just deal with it."

"Your infuriating."

"And you complain a lot." he shot back, sending her a playful smirk. "You know Spaz, I almost get the feeling that you don't want to spend time with me. Why is that?"

"Besides the fact that your a cocky bastard?" she said with a smile. "You need to help Stefan, Elena, and Katherine with the Klaus thing. You've been so focused on me you forgot that your supposed to be helping them." she reminded him.

Damon shrugged. "I like you better."

Sarah rolled her eyes in an exasperated fashion and put her hands on her hips. "Damon, go help your brother and Elena research or at the very least help Katherine."

"Your just saying that because you two had that epic revelation and your friends again."

"No, we're trying to be friends again. And I'm saying this because my situation is under control, Elena's isn't. She needs you right now."

Damon sighed and gave her a pointed look. "Your too nice for your own good."

Sarah gave him a smile. "Well not everyone can be as badass as you Damon."

"I invented that word." he told her with a smirk that quickly faded. "I won't come, but promise you'll be careful." he suddenly said in a serious tone.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "You know you seem to forget how powerful I am sometimes. I am a hybrid."

In a flash Damon was in front of her with a deep look of worry in his eyes. She had never seen him that intense before, like he was pleading to her, almost desperate.

"That doesn't mean your indestructible." he told her, his voice tense and serious. "If he breaks out and goes after you, get your ass out of there. I don't care what happens to him, you just get out of there with Caroline. I lost you once and I'm not doing that again. So promise me you'll be careful."

Sarah stared into his mesmerizing blue eyes, nodding ever so slightly. She had forgotten that everyone had thought she was dead, that Damon had mourned her once. It broke her heart to think that she put him through that...that she was the cause of it. "I promise." she said softly. "Your not getting rid of me that easy Salvatore, your stuck with me."

Damon smirked. "I could think of worst punishments."

Sarah smiled at him as he pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and walked out, mumbling/complaining about having to spend the day with Katherine, Elena and Stefan. When they were younger, Damon and Stefan were so close, as brothers should be. Then again, many things had changed since then...

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_June of 1852_

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

_ "Why can't we go to the dress fitting?" the girl behind whined for the tenth time that afternoon._

_ A ten year old Serenity Giovanni merely rolled her eyes at the girl her mother had forced her to be "friends" with. "Because I hate dresses. Mama can't force me to wear one if I'm not there." she said as they made their way into the garden, a place she learned she would love with only two days of being in Virginia. It was a beautiful place, full and brimming with flowers. _

_ The girl, Katelyn Fell, frowned at her. "Your strange Serenity. What kind of girl doesn't like to wear dresses? Don't you think its fun to dress up like our mothers?"_

_ "Don't call me that. And no, I don't." Serenity told her. "Now quiet down, our parents will here us."she said as she neared a tree, a tall oak surrounded by vines. She smiled at the tree. "My bedroom is right up there, and I just had to see this. Isn't it pretty? Do you see the vines?"_

_ "My dress would have been prettier." Katelyn complained loudly._

_ Serenity breathed a sigh of annoyance. "Katelyn, you have to be quiet!" she said as she rounded the tree before a yelp escaped her lips as she tripped over something, or rather, someone._

_ "I'm sorry!" Sarah sat up from the ground, looking up at the boy she had just tripped over. He was her age with black hair that swept over his startling blue eyes. If her mother was there, she would have probably called him handsome. He held a hand out to her, which she gratefully took. _

_ "I'm really sorry, I didn't see you, if I had I would have moved." he said in a gentlemanly matter she knew had been taught to him._

_ She filled with her braided hair unconsciously. "It's quite alright, I wasn't watching where I was going."she said politely._

_ "I'm Damon Salvatore." he said holding his hand out to her._

_ Serenity smiled and shook his hand. "Its nice too meet you, Damon Salvatore"she said._

_ "Aren't you going to tell me your name?" he asked her. _

_ "I don't like my name very much." Serenity told him. "And your a strange boy in my garden, I don't think it would be smart to tell you my name."_

_ "I'm not strange!" he exclaimed. "Your the strange one here. What kind of girl doesn't tell someone their name?"_

_ "What kind of boy lays in a garden that isn't theirs?" Serenity shot back. _

_ Damon suddenly smiled at her. "Me of course" he said, sounding much older than he actually was. "Can I make up a name for you then?" _

_ Serenity cocked her head at him. "You want to make up a name for me?" she asked. "And you say you aren't strange."_

_ "Your stranger than me!"_

_ "Am not!"_

_ "Are too!" Damon shot back._

_ "Your both strange!" Katelyn suddenly exclaimed before stalking off. "I'm going to that dress fitting!"_

_ Serenity watched the girl go with mild annoyance. "Oh no, now she's going to tell my mother where I am!" she complained as she sat down, cross legged in a huff._

_ "Are you going to tell me your name now?" he said, sitting beside her. _

_ "What is it with you and my name?" she asked irritably. "Its just a stupid name."_

_ "I want to know what to call my new friend." Damon told her. _

_ Serenity looked over to him, her hand pressed to her cheek in a miffed fashion. "You want to be my friend?" _

_ Damon shrugged. "Well, yeah. You seem nice."_

_ "We just met" she told him._

_ "I know...Do you not want to be my friend?" he asked, sounding disappointed._

_ Serenity smiled at him sweetly. "Yes, I want to be your friend Damon Salvatore." she said happily. "What were you doing in my garden?" she asked._

_ Damon scowled, tugging at some of the grass. "Hiding from my father and Mr. Giovanni. They want me to go hunting with them."_

_ "You don't like hunting?" she asked. _

_ The boy shook his head. "I hate killing things, but my father is going to make me go. Mr. Giovanni told me to hide here if I didn't want to."_

_ Serenity smiled. "That's because Papa is a nice man."_

_ "So your the mysterious Giovanni daughter?" Damon said with a laugh. "Its an honor too meet you Ms. Giovanni."_

_ "Don't call me that!"_

_ "Now why shouldn't I Ms. Giovanni?" Damon teased mercilessly. _

_ Serenity rolled her eyes at him. "If I let you make up a name for me, will you stop calling me that?"_

_ "Maybe." he said. "Unless you tell me your name?"_

_ Serenity giggled "Nope."_

_ Damon smiled with her. "Alright then, how about Gertrude?" _

_ Serenity made a face and shook her head with a laugh. Damon only smiled. "Okay then, Prudence?"_

_ "Your terrible at names." she laughed with a slight shove._

_ "Alright, I have one!" he said with a wide grin. "Sarah."_

_ Serenity raised an eyebrow. "That's what you came up with?"_

_ Damon frowned. "You don't like it?"_

_ "I love it!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "I'll be Sarah Giovanni for now on."_

_ "Serenity Alessandra Giovanni, come in for your fitting this instance!" Sarah cringed at the sound of her mothers angry voice. She glanced apologetically at Damon and stood. _

_ "I have to go." Sarah told him sadly. "I'm sorry."_

_ Damon caught her hand before she could walk away, a hopeful expression on his face. "Can we meet here tomorrow?" he asked._

_ Sarah smiled at him and nodded. "Of course." she said before running off to her house where her mother stood waiting. Damon watched after her, a small smile on his face._

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_Present_

Damon rolled his eyes as he walked into the Salvatore House to the sight of Elena and Stefan kissing. They broke apart and apologized quickly, giving each other coy smiles while doing so. Usually it bothered him. The sight of the girl he loved kissing his younger brother, it always broke his heart. But now as he saw them there, it didn't bother him. It was gross, a little annoying because the PDA was getting to be a bit much, but it didn't bother him too much seeing them this time. Damon scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Did he even love Elena anymore? She wasn't his to protect and she was even a priority anymore. Sarah was. Sarah always had been. He smiled to himself slightly thinking about her.

"What are you smiling about?" Stefan asked his brother as the older Salvatore flopped on the couch.

Damon shrugged, smile still on his face. "Just a good day." he answered simply.

Stefan raised an eyebrow at him. "I haven't seen you this happy since..." he smirked at his brother as an idea popped into his head. "How was Sarah?"

"She's good, why?" Damon said, giving his brother a confused look. At his continuing smirk Damon's expression dropped. "Your a dick." he muttered

Stefan chuckled. "I'm just saying, I haven't seen you smile like that since you and Sarah-" using his vampire speed, Damon covered his younger brothers mouth before another word could be spoken.

Damon glared at him. "Remember when I said that if that ever got out I would kill you. Yeah well when we were human that didn't hold a lot of value, but now I mean it, I will kill you." he threatened.

Elena raised a eyebrow at the two. "What did you and Sarah do?"

"Nothing." Damon said sharply, releasing his still smirking brother. "Lets just work on finding Klaus and killing the asshole. You guys come up with anything?"

Elena shook her head. "We still have a lot of books to get through." she said. "Katherine was actually useful."

"Where is the she devil anyway?" Damon wondered aloud, picking up a random book.

"She went to see Sarah before she left to help Caroline and Tyler." Stefan told him. "I can't believe your here helping us and not with her."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. She made me come help you guys. If it was up to me I'd be in the woods doing Dog catcher duty." he told them. "Like I said you aren't my priority anymore." he said before walking away towards his room.

Elena sighed and gave her annoyed boyfriend a look of reassurance. "I'll go talk to him."

The doppelganger went to his room, where sure enough the older Salvatore brother was shrugging off his jacket to his bed. She took in a shaky breath and lightly tapped on his door making him groan.

"What Elena?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

Despite his unwanted demeanor she offered him a small smile. "Can I come in?"

He rolled his eyes and motioned for her to enter. Elena walked into the room, taking in the familiar surroundings. She sat on her bed and watched as he moved around his bedroom not bothering to look at her.

"What do you want?" he asked her, still not looking at her.

"I just wanted to know whats been up with you." she began, a few picture on his night stand catching her eye. "You've been really distant lately, we've barely had any time to talk."

Damon scoffed slightly. "Please like we were great buddies before." he said sarcastically.

"But we were friends Damon." she said, picking up a picture. It was of him and Sarah. But it was definitely not from this century. Damon's hair was longer, and so was Sarah's. Damon was dressed in his confederate uniform, smiling nice and brightly with his arms wrapped around Sarah who smiled with as much happiness as Damon displayed. Her hands rested on Damon's chest delicately and her head rested just below his chin, looking very comfortable in that position. She was adorned in a beautiful dress that fit her perfectly, her hair pulled into a loose french braid, some strands escaping to frame her face. They looked so happy together.

"Yeah well things have changed." Damon mumbled loud enough for her to hear.

Elena put the picture down with a sigh, finding that most of the pictures on the table were of him and Sarah, in this time. Others were of him and Carmen, him, Caroline and Tyler, him and Alaric and Stefan, even of him, Bonnie and Jeremy. None of her though. And he looked so happy in those pictures. Happier than she'd ever seen him.

"Damon, just tell me what's going on. What did I do? What can I do?" Elena asked him.

Damon turned to look at her for the first time, his expression stony. "You can not ask questions. Nothings wrong with me."

Elena sighed. "Alright fine, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to. But you can talk to me Damon. I'll be here for you."

Damon shut his eyes as she started to walk out of the room. Why did she always do this to him? "Wait," he called out to her.

Elena stopped in her tracks, a smile on her face. "Yes Damon?" she asked, playing innocent.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I-"

"Damon, Elena, get down here!" Stefan called from downstairs.

Elena and Damon looked at each other before bounding downstairs to where Stefan had called. Elena gasped at the puddle of blood that covered the floor where a man lay heaving with Stefan over him, pulling four wooden stakes from his body. Damon was immediately at Stefan's side, surveying the man.

"What the hell happened?" Damon demanded, pulling out the last stake.

Stefan shook his head. "He showed up here like this, he fell as soon as I opened the door."

Elena stepped forward to help but Stefan motioned her back, giving her a meaningful look. Damon sighed and threw one of the stakes to the side.

"Alright who the hell are you and why are you here?" he asked the man who now gripped his shirt where his previous wounds once were.

The man breathed in a sigh of relief. "My names is Richard Grant, Katerina told me to come here if I ever needed somewhere safe to stay."

"Do you know who did this too you?" Stefan asked him helping Richard sit up.

Richard nodded, wincing at the pain in his rib as they cracked back into place. "Evan Basinger."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Evan Basinger doesn't take kindly to being told no." Richard winced as Katherine continued to pull little spikes from his arm. Elena, Stefan and Carmen listened to his words intently. Damon had gone to find Sarah as soon as Evan Basinger had come out of his mouth.

"One of his witches captured me on my way back to my office. They kept asking me where the hybrid was, and I didn't know what they were talking about. I managed to kill one of the witches and escape so I came here."

"How do you know you're not being tracked right now?" Carmen asked as she leaned against the doorway.

"I'm 600 years old Carmen, as you well know. I've learned a lot in that time, including to always be prepared." he said, clutching his talisman necklace in his hand.

Stefan looked between the two. "You know each other?" he asked in shock.

Carmen nodded. "We were both scientists some 500 years ago. I was passing myself as a man so I wouldn't be prosecuted for studying as a woman. And Richard, being the curious bastard that he is figured me out."

"But I didn't turn you in of course." Richard smirked. "Basinger is getting desperate. His minions kept going on about a hybrid, but a hybrid hasn't existed in decades." a silence settled over the room. "And judging from your silence, I'm guessing my information is wrong. What is it? Werewolf and vampire?"

Katherine sighed. "She's a witch and a vampire."

"That's scary." Richard shuddered, rolling his sleeve back up. "The power that this girl must hold..."

"That's why Basinger wants her so bad." Stefan mumbled. "Did the witches say anything else to you?"

Richard nodded. "Just that they already know where she is. I was guessing they were trying to trick me into telling them, but the way one of the witches said it made it seem like they were far from lying."

"Crap." Carmen growled, pulling out her cell phone. "We need to find her now. I'll call Damon and tell him to make sure to check the Lockwood property, I'll run home and check Caroline's house again. Stefan, check the Grill and anywhere else she could possibly be. And Katherine stays here and make sure Einstein here stays put."

Elena looked to Carmen hopefully. "What can I do?"

"You can stay here. You own this property, as long as you stay inside, no vampire will be able to get in." Carmen told her. "And call your other witch friend, she could be of some use." she sighed. "This is going to be one hell of a night."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Wolfs bane, silver, and vampire blood to dilute the other two." Sarah muttered as she poured the ingredients into a bottle. "And this potion should keep him relatively sane during his transformation." she said looking at Bonnie. "But remember if you ever need to make this potion to make sure your ingredients are balanced. If not then you could probably kill your werewolf.

Bonnie nodded, continuing to help light candles. "Thank you for agreeing to this. I know you have a lot going on-"

"Bonnie I'm happy to do it." Sarah said with a smile. "Emily was a great friend of mine. I am more than honored to train you. Plus I haven't truly hung out with another witch in years; it's nice to mingle with someone who understands. "

Bonnie smiled and nodded. "Thanks." she looked at Caroline. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly to the dazed looking girl.

Caroline quickly glanced up from her place at the table and nodded, putting on a smile. "I'm fine. Perfect actually Bon, can I see that?" she said quickly. Though Bonnie didn't believe it for a second, call it witch or human intuition, she didn't press.

Caroline took the vial with the silvery liquid and peered into it. They were currently sitting in the dungeon on the old Lockwood property. Tyler was setting up his chains and locks, silently listening to the three converse over the metal table they had set up there. They had turned this place into a little shelter of sorts. Caroline had her things to keep her entertained; blood, magazines, books and whatnot and Tyler had a few extra changes of clothes in one of the cells. Sarah and Bonnie had decorated the walls with protection seals, so that anyone they didn't want in couldn't get in. Kind of like the way vampires couldn't walk into residential homes without being invited, Sarah had explained.

"Will it hurt him to drink it?" Caroline asked, remembering the pain on Tyler's face when he had to drink the wolf's bane his first transformation.

Sarah shook her head. "The vampire's blood cancels out the silver and wolfs bane just enough so that it still has the same effects but it won't completely annihilate his internal organs. A small burn but nothing to serious." she explained to them before looking at Tyler. "You alright?" she asked in a worried tone.

Tyler nodded, not looking at her. "Fine." he muttered, tugging on the chains.

Caroline sighed at the boy's behavior. "He always gets like this before the full moon." she told the two

Sarah nodded. "I get it." she said, looking at her watch. "Well we have about two hours before your transformation starts, Bonnie we should start setting up the wards around here, and I have to call Damon before he officially freaks out."

Bonnie and Caroline smirked at each other knowingly, making Sarah glare playfully at the two. "Do not start." Sarah warned her, walking out of the basement with a chuckling Bonnie in tow. Caroline only laughed at the witches, pulling other items out of Sarah's duffel bag.

"Shouldn't you be calling Matt?" Tyler asked her, trying to sound normal when he said it but Caroline knew better.

Caroline only glanced up at him from a book Sarah had brought. "Uh no. We broke up."

Tyler looked up from the chains and stared at her, not sure if he heard right. "Wait, what?"

Caroline avoided his gaze. "Yeah, a couple of days ago."

Tyler set the chains down and crossed to the table. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged. "I didn't see a point."

"Care, I'm your friend, just talk to me." he said, grabbing her hand to cause her to look up.

She took in a shaky breath, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "He couldn't handle me being a vampire. He said I'm shallow and I've only been worrying about myself in this entire vampire situation so he broke up with Me." she said in a tight tone. "I made him forget I was a vampire and left. He doesn't remember why we're not together, but he still doesn't want to be with Me." she said, tears pricking her eyes. "I didn't tell you because it's so pathetic. I don't even blame him; I am shallow, selfish-"

"You're not shallow or selfish." he told her.

"And plus he dated Elena! God, I'm second place to her-"

"Caroline." he said lowly, interrupting her rant. He took her face into his hands, making her look him in the eyes. "You are the most caring and beautiful person I know. You've helped so many people. The Salvatore's, Elena, Bonnie, even me. To hell with Matt, who the hell is he to call you any of that? Your awesome, and any guy would be the luckiest guy in the world to have you." he told her, kissing her forehead lightly. "Don't believe anything that he said okay?"

Caroline could only nod as he realized her just as Bonnie and Sarah walked back into the room with a worried and scared look on her face.

"We have a problem."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

This Salvatore house was silent once everyone besides Katherine, Elena, and Richard left. Elena sat in the living room in Damon's arm chair with her arms crossed, glaring at her double while Katherine sat on the couch reading a magazine. The tension between the two was thick. The last time they were alone together was inside of the tomb, and even then they still hated each other.

"Are you just going to keep sitting there staring at me? It's actually annoying." Katherine drawled, not looking up from her magazine.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I wasn't staring at you."

"It's okay; I'd stare at me too." Katherine joked slightly. "Your just staring at yourself you know."

"You are not me." Elena bit at her. "We are nothing alike."

This time Katherine looked up from her magazine with a smirk on her face. "Actually we're a lot more alike than you think. Same blood, same loves. You just came second."

"And I come out on top." Elena shot back. "I have Stefan, you don't."

It was Katherine's turn to glare. The vampire rolled her eyes and turned her eyes back to her magazine. "Yes well, lucky for you, I don't particularly need Stefan anymore."

Elena creased her eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"Here you are Katerina, fresh O+, you're favorite." Richard announced as he walked in with two blood bags.

Katherine gave him a smile, forgetting her previous annoyance. "You remembered?"

"Of course. Last time you visited, my stock was fresh out of it. Have to remember to get extra next time." he said, his charm coming to match his smile. He then looked between Katherine and Elena. "This isn't weird at all." he added sarcastically. "It's like you too are twins."

"Not quite." they both said at the same time.

"Right." he said. "You were right Katerina; this place is the safest from Basinger and even Klaus."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she asked curiously, sitting up in her seat intently.

"Well, this place is constantly surrounded by a coven of vampires. Basinger is young, younger than me, that's why he's afraid to face me directly. He wouldn't dare come around here, and neither would Klaus alone."

"We're not a coven." Katherine said taking a sip of her blood.

Richard rolled his eyes. "Right, says the one of the six vampires that lives in this town. And let's not forget the witches, the doppelganger, and your werewolf."

Elena sent a look to Katherine, who in turn shrugged. "What? I trust him."

Richard nodded. "None the less, this place is a supernatural safe haven at the same time as being highly dangerous. Basinger would be an idiot to face you."

Katherine and Elena looked at each other. Both mutually agreeing for the first time that they prayed he was right.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"You did not have to carry me out of the cellar!" Sarah exclaimed as she stormed into the Boarding House.

"You resisted." He pointed out.

"I was trying to help Tyler." She growled.

"You were being stubborn." He challenged.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Remember that little chat we had about me being perfectly capable of taking care of myself, well that's still true."

Damon sighed. "Yeah I know."

"Then why do you insist on completely ignoring that?" she asked him.

"Why do you insist on making me protecting you a bad thing?" he muttered, moving to go to the living room. "I'm a little hurt now."

Sarah crossed her arms and sighed. "Fine sorry." She said, following him.

He smirked back at her. "Why thank you." He said, earning a laugh from her.

Everyone was already there, Carmen, Stefan, Elena, Katherine, Alaric and Richard, who's presence she would question later. Carmen immediately jumped from her seat when she entered the room, crossing over to her with a sigh of relief. "Thank god, we've been looking everywhere for you!" Carmen exclaimed. "You couldn't bother to tell us where you went?"

Sarah stared at Carmen, shocked and confused at her outburst. "I told Damon." She said slowly, looking back at the said vampire who merely shrugged.

"Yeah well next time, would you tell me?" Carmen told her. "I almost had a heart attack."

"Well technically vampires can't have-"

Carmen glared at Sarah, immediately shutting her. "Serenity…"

Sarah sighed, she really hated when she said her name like that. "Sorry, I didn't think that Basinger was going to suddenly show up on our radar. I would have been fine."

"We're not taking any chances with this Sarah." Stefan stepped in. "We don't know what Basinger wants or what he's capable of right now, so we have to be extremely cautious."

Sarah took in his words and sighed. "Your right."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Wait, so how come when I say deep stuff about your protection, you go on a 3 hour pro witch lecture, but when Stefan does it your completely fine with it."

Sarah chuckled at him. "I said I was sorry, didn't I?" she turned to the rest of the group. "So what's the plan?"

"Well Rick is on his way with his newest little vampy kill toys for me to play with." Damon said." So you're staying here until we figure out what's going on and keep our little supernatural posse on alert in case any new arrivals show up." He informed her. "Elena owns the Boarding House, so no vampires can get in, and I figure you can take any witch that comes through."

"Of course." Sarah said.

"I'll be at our house in case they decide to search their." Carmen said. "Those poor bastards won't know what hit them."

"And what about Richard?" Sarah said, pulling her eyes to him. "No offense, but what the hell are you doing here?"

Richard rolled his eyes. "It's nice to see you too Sarah, don't you look smashing, the 21st century has been great for you." He said sarcastically.

"Oh hush, I haven't seen you since the 70's." Sarah shot back.

"If you must know, your dear Basinger tortured me for your whereabouts." Richard told her. "So, like you, I'm here for protection."

"Won't that be fun?" Sarah joked.

"Oh yes." He said with a smirk. "Remember the last time we had a sleep over?"

Sarah glared at him. "Oh you mean when your drunken ass decided to perv on me the entire night. Yeah, if there's a repeat of that, I'll sic Damon on you. Right Damon?"

"Anything for you babe." He said over his shoulder as he made a drink.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Richard won't be any trouble. He's promised." She said giving him a pointed look.

"See, I won't be any trouble. Now," he stood up with a clap and smiled at Stefan and Damon. "Where am I sleeping?"

Damon narrowed his eyes. "The basement."

"Damon." Stefan reprimanded.

"Please, you want him perving on Spaz and Elena all night?"

"Oi, I resent that! You're not so innocent yourself Salvatore." Richard argued.

Damon glared. "You know, you're standing in my house, in my living room, on my European rug. Don't make me get blood on it, it was expensive."

"Alright!" Carmen said, rubbing her temples. "Richard, you're staying at our house. Sarah and Elena are here and you are all going to shut up, and focus on making sure this bastard and his little anti Christ's don't get anywhere near Sarah, got it?" she told them forcefully. "There are lives at stake. We mess up and someone could die. Sarah could die."

Damon and Sarah's eyes met for a moment. She was right. She was always right. The silence in the room was the allowing agreement Carmen needed before she nodded.

"Alright, let's get to work."

A/N: Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the reviews that I love oh so much!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Evan stared out of his window view of the New York City skyline as he sipped on his glass of blood, agitation evident on his face. The more he chased the hybrid, the more he seemed to slip from his grasp. She was in Mystic Falls, that much was evident, but she was surrounded by what seemed like her own little personal army of the supernatural. He gripped his glass tightly, nearly breaking it under the force. He was losing his patience. And he was losing it quickly.

"Mr. Basinger, your sister is on line one." His assistant said through the speaker of his phone.

Evan cocked an annoyed eyebrow and crossed over to his phone, cutting of the speaker in the process. "Where the hell are you?" he growled into the receiver.

"Chill brother, I've just arrived to Mystic Falls. A very rinky dink town if I do say so myself." Emma spoke into the receiver nonchalantly. "Though the snacks aren't bad."

"Emma, for the first time in your pathetic existence, can you be serious?" he said. "What is your progress?"

"Well my sources tell me that she spends a lot of time at the Salvatore house or with her "mother" Carmen."

Evan slightly paled at the name. "Carmen? Carmen Grigori?" he asked. "Is that the name she's using?"

"The hybrid is using the name Sarah Giovanni, but yes, her dear old mothers name is Carmen Grigori." Emma told him. "Sound familiar?"

"Unfortunately." He said, rubbing his temples even though he knew he could never have a headache. "Be very careful. Carmen Grigori is a very dangerous being. She will annihilate you the second she figures out you are my sister."

Emma laughed. "Right, I'm sure Ev-"

"I'm serious Emma." He said. "Do not dare provoke her. I'm sending more reinforcements, as well as another witch."

"Right because you're other three witches were so helpful with that asshole Richard." She growled.

"Just do as I say and get the hybrid, and do try to not get yourself killed." He ordered.

"Will do brother."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

It was relatively peaceful at the Boarding House, and Damon relished in it. For the first time in a month, it was quiet. There were no mobs of people crowding the living room, no supernatural crap happening, just… peace. Stefan was upstairs, researching Klaus; Elena was out with Caroline, shopping or whatever. Carmen and Katherine had been keeping the jackass Richard out of the house and away from him, much to his enjoyment. The only one left in the house to possibly ruin this brief serenity would be…

"Daaaaaaaamoooooon." Speak of the devil.

Damon groaned as he was awakened from his nap and turned over on the couch, away from the sound. Sarah chuckled and proceeded to prod her best friend. "Come on Damon I'm bored."

"Then go mess with someone else, I'm sleeping." He mumbled.

She pouted and turned to sit on the couch on top of Damon, who in turn grunted in pain, glaring at the girl. "There's no one else here. And Stefan's actually busy, on a legit level."

"And me taking a much needed nap isn't legit?" Damon asked, closing his eyes once again.

"Nope." She answered; adjusting so she sat slumped behind him, her legs slung over his. "Can we please do something fun?"

"Go do something fun by yourself." Damon whined.

"Like what?" she asked.

"I don't know. Go wash my car.

Sarah glared at him. "That's not fun."

"Sounds fun to me." He said, slowly falling back asleep.

She sighed and laid her head on his arm, looking at him hopelessly. "Can I nap with you?"

Damon cracked an eye open and looked at the sad, utterly pathetic, puppy dog pout she now sported. She used to do it all the time when they were kids, and he could never resist it, especially now in his nap deprived state. Damon rolled his eyes and turned on his back, lifting his arm so she could slide in. She smiled happily and moved to lay her head on Damon's chest, his arm falling to lie on her waist. She sighed in his warmth. She forgot how comfortable this was with Damon. Little streams of sunlight bled into the room through the open drapes, and the Boarding House seemed to be in a very blissful state at the moment.

"You know, this is nice." She mumbled, curling her body slightly.

"Mhm. No crazy ass supernatural beings running around, it's amazing." He said softly, drifting off to sleep.

"Yeah…" she said. "Maybe Basinger doesn't actually know where I am."

"Or maybe he does and he's taking his sweet time getting to Mystic Falls." He told her, not opening his eyes. "Let's not talk about this right now. Let's just sleep."

"But-"

"Spaz, sleep." He muttered one last time before he laid his head atop hers and relaxed into a peaceful sleep.

Sarah sighed and relaxed her body, clearing all thoughts of Evan Basinger out of her mind. Suddenly, she felt a rush run through her, chilling her to her spine. She immediately sat up, looking around the seemingly empty room. Damon opened his eyes and looked at her strangely.

"What?" Damon asked his expression turning into one of worry.

"There's someone in the house." She said slowly, standing up gingerly.

Damon followed her movements, sniffing the air as he did. She was right. There was a scent in the house, and it was one he definitely didn't recognize. Sarah looked at him, putting a finger to her mouth in a motion to tell him to stay quiet. Damon nodded and watched as she walked to the middle of the living room, trying to sense the infiltrator. Damon moved to go the other way towards the dining room, when the sound of whizzing caught his ears. He used his vampire speed to grab the stake before it could enter his chest, looking around for the culprit but seeing no one.

"Damon, watch out!" Sarah called.

Damon immediately moved to avoid the stake, Sarah sending it in the other direction before it could hit her with a wave of her hand. The warlock sent another stake her way, three others floating around him with his magic, making her stop in its path before she let it fall carelessly to the floor with a glare.

"Some defense system you have, Hybrid." The warlock spat sarcastically. "And I thought your magic would be much more impressive."

Sarah rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms with a sigh. "You know, I hate the cliché jackass' who like to trash talk about how much better they are than their opponent." She sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder, making the warlock look at her in confusion. "I like to let my abilities speak for themselves. Like my incredible ability to distract you while Damon kills your sorry ass." She said in a bored manner.

The warlock's eyes widened as Damon appeared behind him and snapped his neck roughly. Sarah walked over to them, kneeling beside the dead warlock.

"How the hell did he get past my wards?" she wondered aloud.

Damon shrugged and kicked him over so that he rolled to his back. "You sure you did it right?" he asked, earning a glare. "Just asking."

That was when Stefan zoomed into the room, looking at the dead warlock in confusion. "What happened?"

"A warlock got into the house." Sarah told him, standing up. "He got past my wards somehow."

"So you guys killed him?" Stefan asked the two, already knowing the answer. "Why did you do that?"

Damon gave his brother a sarcastic look. "Well I don't know Stefan, the flying stakes were such a nice parting gift." He said sarcasm obvious in his voice.

Stefan glared at his brother. "I meant, we could have used him for information. But now he's dead."

"Well what did you expect me to do, let him stake Spazzy?"

"Of course not, but you didn't have to be all Damon and kill him!"

"Oh screw you Stefanie."

Sarah suddenly stood up. "Oh my god, will you too shut up?" she shouted, looking back and forth to the brothers. "Geez, I liked it better when you two loved each other."

"Yeah, the 1860s were great right?" Damon said with an eye roll as he crossed back to the couch.

"I found his watch in his pocket anyway, Stefan. If he wore it all day then I can pick up where he's been." Sarah told the younger Salvatore, dangling the silver watch on her finger. "Do you actually think I'd let Damon kill him without a plan b?"

"You've been hanging out with Katherine too much." Stefan muttered, moving to sit next Damon.

"I'll pretend that was a compliment." She said, sighing and sitting in Damon's chair. "Alright, let's give this a try."

"You think this will work?" Stefan asked, watching as she closed her eyes and held the watch firmly.

Sarah shrugged, her eyes still closed. "It's worth a shot." She mumbled, trying to focus. "I… think I have something."

Sarah scrunched her eyebrows as she watched the scene play quickly past her closed eyes. The warlock waking up in a hotel, putting on his watch, then driving too…what looked to be Mystic Falls and eventually to another motel in Mystic Falls.

"He's meeting someone in Mystic Falls." She told the brothers, her eyes still closed. "At the motel at the edge of town."

"That's just half an hour from here." Damon said to himself.

Sarah continued watching the scene, seeing him enter a motel room and hug someone… the only problem was that she couldn't the person he was hugging; it was as if they were completely invisible.

"I can't see the person he's meeting." Sarah said, opening her eyes in confusion. "They must be cloaked or something because they're not showing up in the vision."

"Great so we don't have the guy." Stefan said with a sigh.

"No, we know where they could be." Damon said, pulling out his cell phone. "That motel is our best bet." He put his phone to his ear. "Hey Mama Vamp, we gotta a lead. A warlock attacked the house… Yeah, she's fine. It's the old Motel just a little outside town… Yeah I'll be there in a minute." Damon hung up his phone. "I'm meeting Carmen at the motel."

"I'm going with you." Sarah said, standing up.

Damon immediately shook his head. "No, you're staying here and taking care of this body with Stefan."

Sarah put her hands on her hips offensively. "Damon, if their witches can get past my wards, this house is not safe."

"But it's still the safest place in this house so you stay put." Damon told her, giving his best friend a meaningful look before grabbing his keys. "Keep her safe Stef."

Sarah crossed her arms in annoyance. "I do not need a baby sitter." She growled.

Stefan chuckled at her. "He's doing it for your own good."

"No, he's just cranky because he didn't get his nap." Sarah said shaking her head.

"Damn right I am." Damon called back just before he shut the door.

Sarah rolled her eyes and looked down at the body and then at Stefan. "You wanna burn this body, help me set up some new wards, and drink something that'll knock us out for a few hours?" she suggested with a small smile.

Stefan smiled back at her. "I'd love too."

"See, this is why you're one of my best friends." Sarah said with a wide smile.

That was when there was a knock on the door, making Sarah and Stefan look at each other worriedly. Stefan went to answer the door with Sarah close behind prepared for anything. Stefan opened the door gently, sighing as he saw the sheriff standing there with a smile.

"Sheriff Forbes," he began, looking back at Sarah to reassure her. "This is a nice surprise."

"Sorry for showing up so unexpectedly." She apologized. "But I was wondering if Sarah Giovanni was here? No one was at her house, and I heard she spends a lot of time here."

Stefan looked back at Sarah, who finally came to the door with a smile. "Hi Sheriff, is there something I can do for you?"

Sheriff Forbes nodded. "Actually there is. Have you ever heard of the Miss Mystic Fall's pageant?"

Sarah almost wanted to laugh out loud right there. She almost did when she heard Stefan chuckle. Heard of it? She won the first one ever. "Yeah, I have actually. Did you want me to help organize it or something?"

"No, your mother already volunteered." The sheriff said. "I was actually wondering if you would like to compete in the pageant."

Sarah gave her a shocked look. "Compete in the pageant?" she repeated in confusion.

Sheriff Forbes nodded. "Yes. Usually Mrs. Lockwood handles these things but she asked me to come ask you personally. Your name, or I guess your ancestors name, Serenity Giovanni came up in the registry as a founder, and I'm assuming you had family in Mystic Falls before?"

Sarah glanced at Stefan before answering. "Yes, my dad lived here a long time ago. His family lived in Mystic Falls for a really long time."

Liz's face broke out into a smile. "I thought so! The pageant is only exclusive to girls from the founding families so I had to make sure, I mean, if you want to compete?"

"Uh," Sarah began, still flustered by the information. It was scary how like Caroline, Liz was being at the moment. "Yeah, I'll compete."

"Great! Caroline will fill you in on the details, and I'll talk to your mother about it." Liz said. "This should be very fun."

Sarah shut the door as Liz left, looking back to an amused Stefan. "So how about that drink?"

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"And you're sure you have no idea what the person looked like?" Carmen asked the compelled motel owner through the window.

The owner shook his head, as if in a trance. "No, it's like they were here…but they weren't."

Carmen rolled her eyes and looked back at Damon, who leaned against his car watching the scene. "Whoever they were, they compelled him, so the good news is we know we're dealing with vampires."

"Which is also bad news." Damon pointed out.

Carmen nodded and looked back at the still compelled owner. "Did they leave anything in the room? Clothes, jewelry…?" she asked.

The owner nodded and reached behind the counter, emerging with the cell phone. "They left this in the bed. The maid picked it up this morning." He told her, handing the phone to her obediently.

Carmen gave him a charming smile. "Thanks." She said quickly before turning and walking back to Damon. "Well, we got something." She said, looking through the phone. "A cell phone with one contact."

"I can guess who that is." Damon muttered.

Carmen muttered and called the number, putting the phone to her ear. "Hello, can I speak to Mr. Evan Basinger please?" pause. "Yes well this is a very important call" pause. "Who am **I**?" Carmen rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips with an attitude. "I'll have you know, I'm a representative for one of Mr. Basinger's biggest clients. Yes honey, that means we pay for the measly paycheck you get to answer phones, get coffee, and screw Basinger on his desk before his afternoon meetings. So unless you want us to pull all ties to Basinger Corporations, I suggest you put him on now." Carmen smiled sweetly. "Thank you."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "You know, you are really scary." Carmen merely winked at him.

_"Evan Basinger speaking." _

"Hey Ev, long time no talk. How's being a stalkerish creep?" Carmen spoke into the phone.

_"…Well, Carmen Grigori it is a pleasure hearing your voice."_

"Wish I could say the same." Carmen said. "You know, you should really get better help. These new ones left a phone this time. Last time you tipped us off they left a finger didn't they?"

_"Dammit." _Basinger growled. _"I told her to be wary of you." _

"You're warning people about me? I'm flattered." Carmen said with a smirk. "But Basinger, I just wanted to let you in on a little secret. We're on too you and we are very prepared so I suggest you call off your dogs and run along."

_"Oh Carmen you underestimate me." _He chuckled into the receiver. _"I have very big plans. Very, Very big plans, and your hybrid will only make them better. If I don't get Serenity now, my plans won't stop, they'll just be tweaked until I do get my hands on her."_

Carmen sent a worried glance to Damon, who looked back at her in confusion. "What are you planning Basinger?"

_"Oh you'll see, my dear Carmen. Let's just say it'll be like nothing the world has ever witnessed."_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Caroline awoke feeling extremely happy, stretching out in a bed that wasn't hers, but one she had become all too familiar with. She attempted to move but found herself held in place by a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her from behind. She turned her body in his arms and smiled at the boy who lay beside her. '_I am the luckiest girl in Mystic Falls_.' She thought as she looked at Tyler's sleeping form. She gently placed a kiss to his lips, a hand brushing his cheek slightly. Tyler awoke from his peaceful slumber, smiling before quickly returning the blonde vampire's kiss. They broke the kiss and smiled at one another

"What a way to wake up." Tyler commented, earning a laugh from Caroline.

Caroline gave him a soft, loving smile. "Good morning, handsome," Caroline whispered to him.

Tyler smiled and seized Caroline by her sides. She squealed as he flipped her on the bed, putting himself on top.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Tyler whispered back to her, grinning from ear to ear.

The morning sun was set perfectly on Caroline's complexion, and her long blonde hair was fanned out perfectly on his pillows. Tyler didn't think she could get any more beautiful until this moment. He ran a gentle hand down her delicate cheek before cupping it. He leaned down to kiss her, displaying as much love into the kiss that he could muster. Caroline moaned softly into the kiss, pushing Tyler to deepen the kiss.

"God, you're beautiful," Tyler whispered as he kissed her neck.

Caroline moaned when Tyler kissed her weak spot right behind her ear, a place he had found last night and would never let her live down.

"I can get used to this," Caroline whispered between a moan.

Tyler pulled her lips to his again, savoring the taste of her mouth. They continued for a few moments until they finally broke for air. Caroline stared at Tyler who had a smile on his face. She smiled too when she saw him.

"God, you have no idea how hard it was not to do that all the time." Tyler said with a smirk.

Caroline laughed, "You know I'm here like every day."

Tyler smiled, "I know but I'm talking about all that time we wasted. All that time you were with Matt…"

Caroline leaned in and kissed him again.

"Let's make up for lost time then." she whispered as she captured his lips again.

She flipped him over using her vampire speed and slid her slender figure down on top of him. When they broke Caroline rested her forehead on his, their noses touching, both of them had a huge grin on their faces.

"Making up for lost time is good." Tyler muttered with a grin on his face.

Caroline planted a light kiss on his lips but quickly pulled back.

"Yeah it is… I missed you." she replied. "You know, when we weren't talking and stuff. It kinda sucked."

Tyler smiled at her. "Yeah, well we're here now." Tyler said, pulling her into another kiss.

Tyler began running his fingers through her hair curling it gently around his finger with one hand. With his other, he began kneading circles on her lower back. Tyler began kissing her neck, but after a few minutes as he was inching his way up her body, until suddenly she pulled back. At Tyler's disappointed frown, she smiled and hopped off of the bed standing in front of his mirror fixing her hair. Turning back to Tyler who was just slipping a t-shirt over his head, she smiled.

"I gotta go meet Elena before she completely freaks out and comes looking for me. I told her and Bonnie I'd meet up with them." Caroline said, starting to pull her clothes on.

"You know, you could always just tell them that you're with me." Tyler told her, sitting back on his bed.

Caroline sighed as she slipped on her shirt. "You know I want to it's just… I just broke up with Matt and everything and I don't want anyone thinking I'm some little slut who just goes from guy to guy, and I especially don't want Bonnie, Elena, or Sarah thinking you're a rebound." She told him, running a brush through her hair.

Tyler chuckled at her ranting. "Care, it's cool. Just as long as you know your mine, I'm cool."

Caroline smiled at him and gave him a peck on the lips. "You're amazing you know that?"

Tyler smirked. "Yeah I know."

"Good," Caroline said, jumping up and grabbing her purse. "I'll see you later okay? Same time? I love you bye!"

"Yeah, but wait-," she zoomed off before he could answer. Tyler stared after her in confusion. "Did she just…?"

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**

**Hey guys! Sorry about this, but I am rewriting this chapter. After re reading it like five times I don't think it's up to par. Hopefully this version is better. R/R peeps **

**Chapter 13**

_Sarah found herself standing in a dark room illuminated by only the light from the moon outside. The smell of death reeked heavily in the room, as well as the smell of blood. She looked down and found herself dressed in rags of former clothing, and chains cuffed her legs and feet and linked to the floor so that she couldn't move. Her eyes trained on the circle that surrounded her and she immediately recognized that spell she had been put in. _

"_Sarah…" a pained voice said from the darkness._

_Sarah looked into the darkness and she found her entire being freeze at the sight. There was Damon, sitting in the far side of the room near a window, chained to a large chair with IV's attached into his arms. His black hair was matted with blood, as was the rest of his body and he looked so weak. It terrified her to no end to see him this way, seeing him so in pain._

"_Damon!" Sarah called in a panic, struggling against her chains. "Damon, open your eyes! Please Damon, you have to wake up!"_

_Damon's head lolled to the side a bit, but he didn't open his eyes, only moaned a bit painfully. Sarah growled and struggled more against the chains. Suddenly a cold chill ran through her body._

"_Poor Salvatore." The snake like voice whispered in his ear. "He's been having a steady continuity of vervain inputted into his blood stream for the past three hours. Very painful to endure."_

_Sarah struggled more against her chains as she watched Basinger waltz around her until he was standing over Damon. Sarah watched him carefully as Basinger tapped the side of Damon's chair. Basinger chuckled at the situation._

"_How long have I been chasing you now?" Basinger questioned her. "145 years isn't it? Long time for you to keep me waiting."_

"_Don't hurt him." Sarah pleaded, her eyes beading with tears. "Just let him goes, I'll give you whatever you want, just let him go."_

_Basinger chuckled again, this time with a more sadistic laugh. "Now you see, Serenity. I can't do that. I have to punish you for trying to get away from me. And what better way than through the man you love."_

_Sarah watched the man carefully as he tightened Damon's chains, causing him to flinch back in pain. Sarah tried to use her power in a desperate attempt, but the circle cancelled out any chance of using magic at that moment. Basinger smirked heartlessly at her futile attempts. Basinger then smiled at Sarah, a smile that just screamed twisted. _

"_Fun fact, did you know that if you input enough vervain directly into a vampires blood stream, it will cause their lungs to fail and eventually stop their heart? Terrible way too die. Slowly suffocating." Basinger told her, his voice dripping with wickedness. "I was going to torture you and make him watch, so maybe then you'd will me your powers. But I thought of a much more entertaining form of torture, something you and your mother could share in experience."_

_Sarah watched in horror as Basinger flipped on the IV, making the stream of vervain pump faster. Damon's eyes sprang open and his body writhed as he coughed and choked for air. His eyes were wide with pain._

_Basinger's sick smile widened and he merely walked around Sarah to the exit behind him. "You get to watch the one you love die a slow and painful death."_

"_Damon!" Sarah screamed as she struggled more against her binds. "You sick bastard! Damon, please fight it! I love you Damon, I can't lose you! Please, just let him go!" she screamed and pleaded in tears._

_Damon suddenly fell limp on the floor, his eyes open wide and lifeless…_

"_DAMON!"_

Sarah woke with a start, her breathing uneven and heavy, and sweat coated her body. She looked around and sighed in relief when she found that she was in her room in the Boarding house. In pure relief, she buried her head in her hands, trying to rid herself of the painful memories from the horrific dream. She couldn't let that come true, any of it. She'd be damned if Evan Basinger got the opportunity. She couldn't let it get to that. She wouldn't.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"You know we really have to start doing that more often."

Katherine suppressed the shiver that threatened to run up her spine as Richard ghosted his lips over her neck. She continued to button her shirt with a sigh, standing up from the guest bed in one of Carmen's spare rooms that she let Richard use.

"Come back to bed love." Richard said with a smirk. "You know you want to."

Katherine turned and smirked back at him. "As much as I would absolutely love too, I can't." she laughed at his pout. "I have to go meet Sarah for pageant stuff and then research possible locations of Klaus. Apparently he's been sending Elena little love notes." She rolled her eyes.

"Why do you keep helping Elena if you don't like her?" he asked, stretching back on the bed. "I say leave well enough alone."

"I can't." Katherine said as she turned back to the mirror to fix her hair.

"And why not?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"You know why not. Klaus wants me dead just as much as he wants Elena dead." Katherine muttered. "If helping her kills him, then I'll do it. Plus I'm helping Sarah today, not her. I'd rather kill my little doppelganger and be done with it-"

"Katerina…" Richard interrupted her with a smirk as he moved to sit on the bed. "Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy you are when you're angry? I find the dangerous persona very irresistible." He said, coming to snake his arms around her waist.

Katherine sighed into his arms, craning her neck so that he had better access to her neck. "Richard, I really have to go." She said in a breathy sigh as she felt herself backing up toward the bed.

"It's early; you can meet up with Sarah later." He told her as turned her around. "You know you want to stay."

Katherine smirked at him and used her vampire speed to move to the other side of the room, slowly unbuttoning her shirt in a tantalizing manner. "You want me to stay." She said. "You have to catch me first."

Richard smirked and immediately ran to catch her as she blurred to another spot in the room. He caught her around her waist and pressed her against the wall so she couldn't move from his grasp.

"Ah, ah, ah Katerina," he growled to her, pressing his body flush against hers. "I'm faster and stronger." He smirked. "Now what was that about you staying?"

Katerina mirrored his smirk.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah sat in her room, surrounded by mass amounts of candles. Her eyes were closed in deep meditation as she chanted under her breath. The flames all bent towards her as she chanted, their power pulling the energy towards her. Sarah opened her palm, revealing the orange flame that rested inside of it. She opened her eyes and smirked before closing it again; extinguishing the flame once it came. Almost suddenly a warm gold tint overtook her once silver orbs. Holding a hand in front of her, she let a flame over take it once more. Again she started muttering, the flame in front of her growing gradually.

"Are you doing a spell?" Damon asked her, scaring her out of her meditation.

Sarah took in a deep breath and sent a glare towards her best friend as he leaned against her doorway. "God, you scared the crap out of me." She told him, putting a hand through her chest.

Damon smirked at her. "You? A big, bad, hybrid scared? Now that's hard to believe."

Sarah gave him a sarcastic look. "Are you done being a condescending asshole or are you picking up a new hobby?" she said, turning to turn through her grimoire as it sat in front of her.

Damon frowned at her. "Ouch, I was coming to take you lunch, but if you're going to be a bitch-"

Sarah's annoyed expression grew regretful as she watched him to turn to walk out the door. "Wait," Damon stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry. I'm just having a really….really bad day." She told him with a deep sigh.

Damon gave a shrug. "Try having a bad century." He said as he walked back in and collapsed on her bed.

"Damon…"

"Fine, I'm done." Damon said. "Come on, let's go to lunch. Get your mind off of the fact that a crazed, pompous, asshole is trying to come after you for your powers."

"Are you trying to be funny because it's not working for you?" She said with a small smile.

"I'm trying to cheer you up Spaz." He told her. "So come on, lunch. I'm getting the munchies and not in a good way."

Sarah sighed and smiled as Damon pulled her off of the floor. "As much as I want to, we have pageant rehearsal."

Damon scowled. "Can't we be bad and skip it. It's not like we need practice trying to impress people because come on, we're a pretty impressive looking couple."

"Yes, yes we are." Sarah said with a chuckle. "But sorry, we have to go."

"Why did I agree to this?" Damon asked.

"Because you love me and only want to make me happy." Sarah said as she picked up her grimoire and set it on her bed.

"Something likes that." Damon said giving her a smirk. "What were you doing in here anyway?"

Sarah looked around and quickly waved her hand, extinguishing all the candles at once. She then looked at a suspicious looking Damon with a smile. "Just a little project, nothing to worry about." She said. "Now how about that free lunch. We can squeeze it in before the pageant, your treat right?" She suggested as she ushered him out of the room.

Once Damon was walking down the hall she quickly crossed to her bed to shut her grimoire, which open to a page headed "Power Multiplication".

**~*Save Me*~**

Caroline smiled as she watched Tyler help his mother carry around boxes for the pageant that night. He was a such a mama boy is was cute. Catching her eyes with his, he sent a smile her way, making her feel warm inside. She waved at him slightly and continued setting up directions around the foyer. She still felt Tyler's eyes on her, and that made her smile widen.

"Hey." Suddenly her good mood was deflated by the sound of the familiar voice.

Caroline turned around and met Matt with a small smile. "Hey…Matt." She said. "How are you?"

Matt nodded. "I'm good, you?" he answered, his gaze shifting between her and Tyler.

Caroline glanced back at Tyler, whose own happiness had been dissipated into annoyance. "I've been great. Reigning Miss Mystic Falls, you know?" she said with a nervous chuckled.

Matt chuckled with her. "Yeah I know." He said before growing serious once more. "So what's up with you and Tyler?"

Caroline frowned at him. "Why?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Come on Caroline, could you two be any more obvious?"

"Matt…" Caroline began for she was interrupted.

"No Care, this is really messed up." Matt said. "He was my best friend, Caroline! How could you do something like that?"

Caroline glared at him. "You broke up with me, Matt. I didn't break up with you, you broke my heart. He was there for me, he's always been there for me when you dropped me. What did you expect me to do?"

"I didn't expect you too rebound with my best friend!" he shouted at her. "I mean, jesus Caroline! I thought you were better than that but obviously not. Your just doing it to hurt me and its pathetic."

That was the moment that Tyler appeared beside Caroline, looking menacing as ever. Caroline swallowed a bit at how angry Tyler looked at the moment and feared that the worst would happen. She set down her decorations just in case she had to break up a fight.

"Is there a problem here?" Tyler questioned, glaring at Matt.

Matt looked in between the two. "Yeah, there is a problem." He said.

Tyler rolled his eyes and stepped up to Matt, face to face. "Look. You screwed up dude. You let a good thing, no, an amazing thing get away and your pissed about that. I get it. But you know what? It's done. I took what you failed to realize was the most amazing person in the world and I fell in love with her. So don't be a douche because you fucked that up dude."

Matt glared at him, and then at Caroline, who watched the whole exchange quietly. "Just a warning, you probably won't be enough to keep him on a leash for long."

Tyler clenched his jaw and tightened his fist. "You know what-" with that Tyler punched Matt in the face, sending the boy toppling to the ground.

"Tyler!" Caroline exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "Stop before you get in trouble."

Matt, with a bloodied cheek, stood up and started to charge at Tyler when a hand grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. Damon held the boy back with a sigh before looking at Tyler. "Nice hit." He commented before pushing Matt back.

"Thanks." Tyler said.

"What the hell happened here?" Sarah asked as she walked to stand beside Caroline.

Caroline locked eyes with Matt for merely a second as people began to gather around him. She sighed and looked away to Sarah. "Nothing. It's fine." She gave Matt one final glare. "It won't happen again." She said with decisiveness before walking away.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"This is weird." Caroline said as she sat across from Damon in the Mystic Grill, munching on her salad. "Why are you buying me lunch?"

Damon gave her a look as he swallowed his burger. "What I can't be nice to you every now and then? After all I did technically turn you, just treating my little fledgling." He said with a smirk.

Caroline set down her fork and crossed her arms, giving him an accusing look. "Okay, what do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

Damon gave her a look of feigning innocence. "Whatever do you mean Blondie?"

"I mean what do you want?" Caroline said again. "You call me; say you and Sarah need to meet me. I show up here, no Sarah. And then you offer to buy me lunch. Excuse me, but this is so not….Damon. So what do you want from me?"

"Why is it so hard for anyone to believe that when I do something nice, I don't want anything back?" Damon wondered aloud, tipping a glass of bourbon into his mouth.

"Your track record speaks for itself." Caroline said with a sigh. "So what? If you don't want anything, then why am I here?"

Damon glanced down at his empty glass then back up at Caroline. "Look, just take the free lunch and enjoy it. Order whatever you want." He said, holding his glass up to a waitress for a refill.

Caroline still gave him a suspicious look. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because Sarah thought you need some time away from everything. A what better person to not care with than a person who really doesn't give a fuck?" Damon told her with a smirk. "Plus Sarah seems to have this belief we have a blood connection because It was my blood that turned you."

"That's kind of stupid." Caroline said slowly, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion in his sudden change in topic.

"Yeah, that's what I said." Damon said with a sigh. "But who's going to argue with Spaz huh?"

Caroline crossed her arms across her chest. "So what? What does you turning me have to do with you being nice to me?" she asked.

Damon sighed, rolling his eyes at how difficult this seemed to be. "Apparently, when a vampire turns a human into another vampire, they become "makers" or whatever. That's me. According to Spazzy, vampires and their makers have a connection to each other. Blood and whatever else." Damon shrugged. "Kind of stupid to me."

"So…" Caroline began. "Does that mean you and Katherine have a connection?"

"Yeah unfortunately." Damon said with a tad bit of annoyance.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at him and leaned forward in her seat. "What are we going to do with this…"deep, blood, connection"?" she asked.

Damon shrugged. "Who knows? I guess… look if you tell anyone about what I'm about to say I'll probably have to break something on you, and I'd hate to do that after this little "bonding" revelation and before you have to wear your little tiara thing on stage."

Caroline nodded, a smile lifting to her face and she waited to hear what he had to say.

"Just know that I'll have your back." Damon told her. "You need something, just ask. I guess since you're the fledgling I got to start treating you like it." He said.

Caroline beamed. "Oh my god! I got to see the nice Damon that Sarah was telling me about! I thought I'd never see it!" she exclaimed with a giggle.

Damon scowled at her. "See this is why I like being mean. Its sooo much more fun to crush peoples hopes and dreams."

Caroline smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Yeah, just remember, you tell anyone-"

"You'll break something on me, I know." Caroline said, still smiling. "So can I get dessert?"

"… Knock yourself out." he said, tipping back his drink. "You need me to hurt Matt, because I'm not opposed to violence."

Caroline shook her head immediately. "No, don't kill him or anything he's just…" she sighed. "he's just upset about m and Tyler."

"So you and dogboy are a thing." Damon said. "I guess I owe Spaz ten bucks."

Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah but its on the low because of…well today." She said. "I don't know what to do now."

Damon sighed. "Well I have an idea." He smirked. "Drink a little and don't care for a few hours."

Caroline smiled and nodded, taking him up on his offer.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Cassandra, has my interview with CNN been confirmed?" Evan said as he walked out of his office.

"Yes, of course Mr. Basinger, tomorrow at noon . It will be a nationwide broadcast." Cassandra said, standing to hand him a file. "And the limo will arrive in an hour to take you to the airport, and your flight to Virginia has been confirmed. First class." She said as she followed him to the elevator.

"Excellent." He said as the elevator doors closed. "And lunch?"

Cassandra gasped as she was pinned to the wall with Evan's teeth inserted into her neck. "Sir, is it really a good idea to do the interview tomorrow?" she said in between heavy breaths. "The results could be-"

"Don't tell me about results." Evan said as he released her neck, wiping the blood that slid down his chin. "I know what I'm doing. I've lived for almost two hundred years, I believe I'm experienced enough to realize what my news will do to the world. It's not your place to question it." He said, stepping away from her.

"Of course Mr. Basinger." She said.

"Now clean yourself up." He said, fixing his collar. "I don't want to be late for the party."

_**~*Save Me*~**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah sat on the tub in the guest bathroom of the Boarding House, patting a wet rag on her face for some kind of relief from the overwhelming heat she was feeling. She sat there in only a slip, her hair still wet from her shower. She felt terrible, like someone was hitting the crap out of her with a vervain slicked hammer. Her muscles had been tense since that morning and only seemed to be getting worst, despite her efforts to relax. She suddenly felt a warm liquid trickling over her lip. Putting her hand to her lips she found the familiar texture of blood coming from her nose. She immediately pressed the rag to her nose and wiped it away, removing all evidence that it had happened.

"Serenity…"

Sarah's head shot up at the sound of her name, her senses immediately kicking into high gear to find the source of the voice. She didn't smell anyone else in the house except Stefan, Elena, Damon, and Caroline, who was currently in her bedroom getting ready for the pageant. But that voice…

"Serenity…"

Sarah's eyes immediately shifted to the mirror, still foggy from the steam of her shower. The voice…was coming from the mirror. She shook her head, dismissing that she was probably hearing things.

She heard a chuckle followed the hiss of her real name. "Serenity."

She stood on shaky legs and walked over to the mirror, a confused look on her face. Maybe her head ache was just getting to her. She couldn't be hearing a voice coming from her mirror… She raised her hand and slowly wiped away the steam on her mirror. She gasped as she found herself staring into dark blue eyes.

"Shhh Serenity." Evan said, putting a finger to his lips. "No need to be alarmed, I just wanted to have a little chat."

Sarah furrowed her eyebrows and placed a hand on the mirror, her fingers meeting cool glass. She glared at Evan through the mirror. "How the hell do your witches keep getting past my wards?" Sarah growled at him.

"Oh it wasn't easy I assure you, Serenity." Evan told her. "This time we had to wait for the right moment when your powers would, I should say, 'go on the fritz'." He said with a smirk. "Tell me, isn't it highly dangerous for a witch to try to increase her amount of power all at once?"

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm channeling enough power to utterly destroy you, Basinger. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone that I love, because you are done ruining my life."

"I've only just begun." He alleged. "I'm a smart man, Serenity; I like to study my prey before I catch it." He said. "My witches are sensing a very strong current of power streaming to a source, and we guessed that the source was," he pointed at her. ", You. Now Serenity can you tell me what happens to a witch when they use power that exceeds their limits?"

Sarah shook her head. "I don't have the body of a normal human witch, it doesn't apply to me."

Evan made a negative buzzing noise, rolling his eyes. "Wrong. When a witch and that includes you, uses too much power, their body slowly starts to shut down. A very painful process, but I'm guessing that you can already feel those effects. You can thank my witches for routing you that power."

Sarah felt her stomach cramp as if on cue, clenching so tight she winced and grabbed it in pain. Evan smirked at her. "Pity Serenity, I would have thought you were smarter than that. Allowing yourself to be so open to channeling."

"What the hell do you want?" she growled at him, trying to bury the pain away.

"What I've wanted since you so stupidly decided to run away from me in 1864." Evan growled back. "But I must commend you, erasing you and your parent's memories so that I wouldn't find you, bravo. You eluded me for a good fifty years, but I found you again and this time I'm not letting you out of my grasp. So I'll make you a deal."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "And what deal would that be?"

"You will me your powers, and I allow you and your little coven to live." Evan told her.

"And if I refuse?" Sarah challenged him.

"Well then, I allow my witches to channel you so much power that you will perish into ash." Evan threatened her. "And I kill off your Salvatore brothers and everyone you love. You wouldn't want that now would you? Just think, all of this running could be over and you can finally live in peace."

Sarah narrowed her eyes at the threat. He was right on one part, she would be done running. She wouldn't have to deal with Basinger and his crap anymore, she wouldn't have to fight anymore because she was the hybrid. She could live out her eternity in peace.

"Fine." Sarah agreed. "But you have to agree to not hurt or kill any of my friends. And after I will you my powers, you are to leave and never come near us again. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, we have an agreement." Evan said with a smirk. "Meet me outside of the Lockwood's house at midnight tonight, and we can solidify this deal. Until then." He said just before he disappeared from the mirror, leaving her to stare at her own reflection.

She jumped as she heard the knock on the door. "Sarah, are you okay in there? You've been in their forever." Caroline said through the door.

Sarah looked in the mirror one more time before she opened the door, putting on her best smile for the blonde on the other side. "I'm fine." She said as happily as she could.

Caroline wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Are you okay? I heard voices and I smell…blood." She said, taking a quick sniff of the air.

Sarah nodded, raking her head for a good excuse. "Uh, yeah. I cut myself on something earlier, no idea what is was, but it's all healed now." She said with a smile before walking out of the bathroom, pulling Caroline with her. "Come on, we have to get ready for tonight."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Richard, I really want to thank you for deciding to come to the pageant tonight." Carol Lockwood said as she walked beside the man throughout the party going on in her home. "My Richard would have appreciated your company."

Richard smiled at the woman. "I did hear he was always the life of the party. And we share more than our names in that aspect." He joked, earning a laugh from Carol.

Carol nodded. "Yes, yes he was. Enjoy yourself. You're new to town, so this is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with everyone." Carol turned as her name was called. "I'm sorry Richard I have to take care of something; I'll talk to you later."

Richard watched as she walked away, taking a sip of his wine. That was when his nose caught an incredible and enticing scent.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Katherine said as she appeared beside him, holding a glass of champagne.

"Like wise love." He said, eyeing the bright red dress she wore that wrapped tightly around her body until fanning out softly around mid-thigh to her ankles. "Isn't Elena in the pageant? I think people would start to wonder about Elena's brand new twin."

"Relax Richard." She said, sipping her drink. "Sarah put a little cloaking charm on me. To everyone at this party, I'm blonde with green eyes. Well everyone except our little supernatural guests." She told him.

"Convenient." He said, turning to face her.

"Very." She totted, looking around. "Now why are you here?"

Richard smirked at her. "You know I've always been one for a party Katerina." He told her. "Moreover I've recently purchased some property in Mystic Falls. A small house in town. Mrs. Lockwood thought it fitting that I attend."

Katerina raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"It's quite cozy. Great for two people…"

Katherine turned to give him a suspicious stare. "Richard, are you trying to tell me something?"

"Of course not Katerina. Just pointing out that we now have a private place to do a repeat of this morning… and last night… and yesterday." He said with a chuckle.

Katherine rolled her eyes." Very subtle Rich."

"I try." He said.

Katherine opened her mouth to retort when a familiar scent reached her nose. She immediately whipped around to face the red headed woman, adorned in a tight gold dress with a smirk on her dark red lips.

"Hello Katherine." Emma chirped. "And Richard? Your still alive? I thought I dragged a stake right through your heart."

Richard glared at her. "Yes as I was tied down to a chair with vervain in my system." He growled at her. "I dare you to try it now."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh please, I wouldn't dream of ruining such a lovely party Richard, but my little magical friends," she said gesturing around the room. "They have no problem turning you to dust right here."

Katherine's eyes darted around the room, spotting the witches and warlocks that watched their conversation intently. She counted ten at the most, more than she or Richard could take at that moment.

"Oh there are more where they came from." Emma told her. "I love being prepared."

"Emma, that dress is amazing." Carmen complimented as she came up behind Katherine and Richard, a smile on her face.. "It's terrible your about to get blood all over it."

Emma glared at the vampire. "Carmen Grigori. I've heard so many stories about you. None of them really good though."

"Good." Carmen said, smiling. "I want you to know how bad I am. I want you to know that right now I could tear your head off and do my lipstick at the same. So I think you should come with us." Her smile dropped. "Now."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Alright, you got me." She said, raising her hands in mock surrender. She ushered to her witches, who immediately stood down from their paths to approach them. "Lead the way." She teased.

Richard grabbed her arm and steered away from the party to the back of the house, where they escorted her to an empty and secluded room. Once the door was closed, Katherine slammed Emma back into a wall, holding her there by her throat. Carmen walked over to the bed, setting down her clutch and taking off her earrings while Richard leaned back against the wall to enjoy the show.

Carmen flipped her cell phone open, her eyes trained on Emma. "Hey Damon, we have a little surprise guest."

_"And who would that be?" _Damon said in the phone.

"Basinger's sister, Emma." Carmen told him.

_"….Your kidding me, right?"_

"Afraid not." Carmen told him. "She's here with a lot of witches and if she's here, then her brother can't be far behind."

_"We have to get Sarah out of here."_

"No, she's safe here." Carmen told him. "With all of these people here, Evan wouldn't attack. So just…keep her busy."

_"Will do." _Damon said before hanging up the phone.

Carmen flipped her phone closed and glared at Emma. "Did you know that in the 14th century they liked too torture witches for fun?" Carmen informed her. "And female vampire who they accused of being witches?"

"No I didn't, sounds like such a lovely pass time." Emma spat sarcastically as she struggled against Katherine's fierce grip.

Carmen nodded. "Oh it is. Except when you're a vampire and their inserting vervain into your eyes." Carmen said as she opened her clutch and revealed a stem of vervain in a plastic bag. "When you're in a torture prison you pick up a lot of tricks for future use." Carmen told her as she approached her and Katherine. "Like now for instance."

Emma smirked. "Now you don't have to torture me, I'll tell you what you want." She told them. "Because I'm sure you want to know what me and my brother are planning."

Katherine took Emma and slammed her against a wall again. Katherine glared at her. "Tell us or so help me I will gladly give you to Carmen because she is itching to rip your heart out and shove it down your throat." Katherine gave her a sarcastic smile. "And if you don't have a heart we can always improvise with a limb."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You can't kill me."

"Wanna bet?" Richard threatened her.

"You can't kill me because if I die," Emma began, a malicious smirk rising to her red lips. "Your hybrid dies with me."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah rubbed her temple as another splitting headache pounded her skull. She breathed a sigh, trying to ignore the pain as she stared over the railing of the Lockwood House to the beautiful party happening below. Her vision was a little blurry, but she brushed it off, as she felt a surge of power run through her.

"They're about to start introducing us." Elena told her as she approached her with a smile. Her smile faltered as she saw the pained look on the vampires face. "Sarah? Are you okay?"

Sarah immediately put on a smile, nodding reassuringly at the girl. "Yeah, I'm perfect. Do I look okay?"

Elena gave her a once over. Sarah donned a beautiful light green formal dress with an ornate one shoulder strap design that gave the dress elegance. The fabric shimmered slightly and gathered to one side to accentuate her figure and was accented with a sparkling brooch just below her thigh, setting the tone for the sensational mermaid bottom. Her hair was curled to perfection and parted to the side, softly framing her face that was done with light makeup to accentuate her good features, and she had many good features.

"You look gorgeous." She said honestly. "Come on; time to go down to your escort." Elena told her, grabbing her hand and taking her to the rest of the girls.

Sarah breathed in a sigh, holding her stomach as it gave a slight cramp. She quickly shook it off, ignoring the pain and straigtening up, smiling at Elena who stared at her worriedly.

"Miss Serenity Giovanni, escorted by Mr. Damon Salvatore." Carol Lockwood's voice rang out.

Sarah straightened herself, suffering through her pain before she started to descend the stairs as the pageant guest applauded. Damon stood at the foot of the staircase, looking up at his best friend. She was breathtaking. He flashed back to the night he saw her descending the stairs at the first pageant, remembering how beautiful she looked then too. But now, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She smiled at him as she reached the last step and took his hand. Damon smiled back.

"I feel ridiculous." She whispered to him as he escorted her amongst the crowd and through the patio doors that led to the Lockwood's decorated back yard.

Damon smirked at her. "Funny. Because you look absolutely gorgeous right now." He told her sincerely.

Sarah stared at him for a moment, stunned, as they reached the dance floor. He stared back at her with something she had never seen in him before. It was a passionate look that shook her to her core. Any pain she had was gone as the soft strum of the music started.

"_Find Me Here,_

_Speak To Me,_

_I want to feel you,_

_I need to hear you,_

_You are the light,_

_That's leading me,_

_To the place where I find peace again,"_

They stepped toward each other, their palms rising to meet each other, but not daring to touch. They circled one another, mirroring the other couples beside them. Sarah glanced around, a frown reaching her face.

"Where's Carmen and Katherine?" she wondered aloud.

Damon looked away from her, not daring to meet her eye at that moment. "They had something to take care of but they'll be back." He told her.

Sarah gave him a strange look, accepting the answer for that time.

"_You are the strength, that keeps me walking._

_You are the hope, that keeps me trusting._

_You are the light to my soul._

_You are my purpose...you're everything._

_How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"_

Sarah almost faltered in her steps as another wave of pain hit her, making her wince. She hoped Damon hadn't noticed, but as his eyes narrowed worriedly she knew he saw.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, his voice filled with worry.

Sarah quickly shook her head. "Nothing, I'm fine, these heels are just a bit too small, that's all." She said.

Damon gave her a look like he didn't believe her, but decided not to question her, much to Sarah's relief.

"_How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"_

The dance was slow and intimate, even without touching at the moment. Sarah took a nervous breath and did the steps Caroline had drilled them on, Damon following her expertly, his beautiful eyes still on her.

"_You calm the storms, and you give me rest._

_You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall._

_You steal my heart, and you take my breath away._

_Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?"_

Finally Damon took her hand and twirled her into a waltzing position, with his hand on her waist and their hands joined.

"When did you become such a good dancer?" she asked him quietly as they glided over the dance floor in sync with everyone else.

Damon shrugged. "Somewhere in 1890. I did suck at this last thing didn't I?" he questioned, causing a smile from Sarah.

"You were alright." Sarah told him. "I couldn't have asked for a better escort."

"Thanks." He told her with a smirk.

She smiled back, continuing their dance.

"_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this? _

_How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"_

"Did I tell you how beautiful you were tonight?" he whispered to her.

Sarah shook her head, breaking her eye contact with him to look down shyly, a characteristic she never liked about herself when she was around Damon. "I think the word you used was gorgeous." She softly told him.

"That too." He told her, lifting her chin slightly so that she looked at him again. "Your beautiful Sarah." He told her gently.

She stared into his eyes, finding herself falling in love with him all over again. "Thank you Damon." She voiced delicately.

"_How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

…_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"_

Sarah sucked in a breath when it was over as everyone departed from the dance floor. Damon smiled at her and opened his mouth to say something when Caroline, followed by Tyler, ran up to them, smiling brightly. "You two were awesome!" Caroline exclaimed hugging Sarah.

Tyler shook his head at his excited date and smiled at Sarah. "You two were great." He said, glancing at Damon. "I didn't know you could dance."

Damon shrugged. "The ladies love it, so I thought, what the hell." He said.

Sarah rolled her eyes and smiled. "Thanks." She said just as Elena and Stefan joined the group. "Stefan, you look handsome as usual." She said hugging him.

Stefan smiled at her. "And you look beautiful." He said before smirking at his brother. "Damon didn't step on your foot and break your heel this time did he?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Go eat a bunny." He snapped back.

"Hey, happy occasion, cut it out." Sarah said, frowning at them. "Go make yourselves useful and get us something to drink." She said.

Damon rolled his eyes and complied to her request, Stefan following him as he did.

"You too Tyler, girl talk." Sarah told him.

Tyler sent a pleading look to Caroline who just nodded. "Sorry Tyler." She said, waving him off. Tyler rolled his eyes and followed after the two other vampires back into the house.

Sarah watched them go and made sure that they were far enough before she turned to Elena and Caroline seriously. "I need you to help me with something." She told the girls.

Elena sent her a worried look. "Sure, anything." She said hesitantly, Caroline nodding in agreement.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder to make sure Damon, Stefan, and Tyler weren't listening. Seeing that they had indulged themselves in a conversation with Tyler's mother, she turned them and sighed.

"I need you to do something for me." She told them. "But first you need to find Bonnie."

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah glanced back to Stefan and Damon, making sure that Caroline and Elena were diverting their attention for a while, just long enough for her to meet with him and get back. She turned back to the Lockwood's backyard, venturing further to the outdoors, leaving the party behind her, where no one could see her.. That was when she saw him. Red hair, black eyes. He saw her and smiled, it was sick and sadistic. He was in front of her in the blink of an eye.

"Serenity Giovanni." he whispered, brushing a piece of her hair from her face. "It wasn't very nice of you to keep playing this game of cat and mouse." he tangled his fingers in her hair, causing it to escape from its pin. "Not very nice of you at all."

She glared at him "Just do what you came here to do and leave." she spat at him.

He smiled. "Oh Serenity, you don't get it do you? See I like to play games. Their one of my favorite past times. And darling I'm not finished playing with you just yet."

She frowned at him. "We had a deal." she growled lowly.

"No doubt Serenity. The deal was I get the power and I don't hurt, harm, or kill your friends."

"And you can't break a deal with a witch." she reminded. "And you made one with me you bastard."

The red headed vampire only laughed. "Yes dear I did, but we never agreed that you couldn't do it for me."

Her eyes widened. She tried to run but he held her tightly in a grip. "Don't move." he ordered her, staring her directly in the eyes. "One of the greatest inventions of the witches, I feel, was the potion to gain the ability compel another supernatural being, it's quite useful."

She did as he said. She had never been compelled, it was a terrible feeling. She couldn't move her body at all. She was in the mercy of this...monster.

"Now you are going to go and slaughter everyone." he told her, the girl under his compulsion.

"I'm going to slaughter everyone." she repeated.

"And your going to kill Damon Salvatore slowly and painfully."

"And I'm going to kill Damon Salvatore slowly and painfully."

He smirked. "And then, your going to come back to me and will me your powers once and for all."

"I'm going to come back to you and will you my powers once and for all." she repeated in a monotone.

He released his grip on her and let the Sarah walk back to the party. She tried to stop herself, she tried with all her might to just stop. She screamed in her head to stop, she willed her legs to collapse beneath her. She hoped that someone would come and stop her. She came to the house and opened the door.

Tyler suddenly stepped out and pushed her away from the house, causing her to fly back towards Basinger, landing on the ground in a huge heap. Caroline followed after him, along with Bonnie and Elena, who closed the door after her so that no one in the party would see her. Sarah stood up, and bared her fangs at them, her eyes blood red. She used her vampire speed to try to run past them but Bonnie immediately raised a hand in front of her, stopping Sarah in her tracks. Sarah found herself being constricted to her knees, her arms bound together with Bonnie's magic.

Bonnie kneeled in front of Sarah, who struggled against her magic viciously. "I'm sorry, Sarah, this is going to hurt." Bonnie warned her before she grabbed either side of Sarah's head and muttered the spell from Sarah's grimoire.

Sarah's eyes widened and she screamed in pain at the severe ripping feeling she felt in her brain. Basinger growled and ran toward them, Caroline running to knock him over.

Basinger growled at them and stood up, glaring daggers at the blonde vampire. "This will be a pity kill. I'm entirely to strong for you."

"True." Caroline said, letting her fangs slide out. That was when the scent caught her nose. "But your definitely not too strong for them.

Basinger whipped around to face Carmen, Katherine, and Richard, who all stood glaring at him. Turning back to face Caroline, his eyes narrowed at the sight of Damon and Stefan standing beside her, not looking as pleased as the other three.

"Well this should be fun." Basinger announced. "Six against one, what a fair fight." He said sarcastically.

"Especially when we only need one of us to kill you." Carmen told him. "But since we're nice we're going to let you decide who gets to kill you, I'd have to say the most merciful one is Caroline, but even she's not feeling to nice right now." Carmen said, sliding her fangs out.

"Stop." All of their heads whipped to Sarah, who was currently slumped against Bonnie. "You can't kill him yet." Sarah told them. "He has to stop the witches first." She said.

Basinger smirked. "Yes well you heard her. Can't kill me yet." He chuckled before looking at Sarah. "The deal is off, Serenity. Enjoy a slow and painful death." He said before running off in a flash.

Everyone turned to Sarah who now began to shake in Bonnie's arms. Bonnie's eyes widened in a panic as everyone rushed over.

"Sarah!" Bonnie screamed, trying to help the girl.

They all stared in horror as blood began to trickle from her eyes and down her cheeks as if they were crimson tears.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Damon dabbed a cold rag on Sarah's face as she lay on his bed, her dress scattered on the floor beside them leaving her with only a slip. She was currently in Damon's arms, her back to his chest while she lay in his embrace, sweating with a pained look on her face. She had gotten progressively worst since he brought her to the Boarding House, and it scared him to no end.

"Come on Spaz, you have to stay awake." Damon told her softly, dipping the rag in the cold water on his bedside table.

Sarah sighed weakly. "I'm so tired Damon." Sarah told him.

"I know Spaz; you can sleep as much as you want when this is over." Damon said, pressing a chaste kiss to the top of her head.

Sarah shook her head. "This is my fault." She began, opening her eyes weakly to look at Damon. "I did that stupid spell…I knew there were consequences." She admitted.

Damon remembered the spell she was doing in her room earlier that he had walked in on. He knew she was hiding something, but he chose to ignore it. He cursed himself under his breath. "Don't blame yourself."

"I can't help it Damon." She said, gripping his sleeve as another wave of pain hit her. "I've done so much to hurt you and everyone. This is all my fault. I ran from you and I'm so sorry for that."

Damon clutched her small hand in his, staring straightforward emotionlessly. "Don't say that Spaz, none of us blame you."

"You should." She said. "I ran away from you for 145 years. I made you think I was dead. You should hate me."

"I don't hate you Spaz." Damon muttered. "I could never hate you."

Sarah sighed and relaxed back into Damon. "That's good." She closed her eyes. "I'm dying Damon." She told him.

Damon clenched his fist, fighting back the tear that threatened to fall from his eyes. "We're getting you help Sarah. You're not going to die."

"I'm a big girl Damon. You don't have to lie to me." Sarah said softly. "I'm okay with dying like this. In your arms. But I hate hurting you. I hate leaving you like this. I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I forgive you Sarah." Damon said, bringing her hand to his lips. "I forgave you a long time ago."

"Thank you." Sarah breathed before opening her eyes again so she could stare at Damon. "I've always loved you Damon." she said weakly. "For me, it's always been you."

Damon let the tear slide down his face as he stared back at him. "I love you too." He said, finding the words so easy to say. He immediately wiped the tear away, not allowing Sarah to see it.

"Thank you." She said her eyes falling closed again. "Thank you for loving me."

Damon shifted so she lay back on the pillows and moved to kneel beside her on the bed. He gently took her face in his hand, making her look at him. "Spaz, you are not going to die." Damon told her with conviction in his tone. "I'm going to help you and you're going to be okay. You're going to wake up tomorrow morning and all of this will be behind you, I swear to you." He said.

She gave him a small smile and patted his hand on her cheek. "You're such a good person Damon." She said. "It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you." She shook her head as tears fell down her face. "But I don't think you can save me this time." She told him tearfully. "Just know that I love you."

Damon reached forward and kissed her, soft and passionate, trying to convey everything he was feeling into that one kiss. He relished in the feeling of her kissing him back. He wasn't going to lose her, he couldn't.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

"Well, well, well seems like my brother didn't kill you." Emma said as everyone, minus Damon and Sarah, entered the room again. "You know its such a pity, I voted he would kill the witch first." She finished, causing Bonnie's glare to deepen.

Katherine used her vampire speed and slammed Emma into a mirror, making her cry out in pain.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll talk right now." She growled.

"I already told you that you couldn't kill me." Emma told her, her voice tight and pained.

"Give us one good reason why we shouldn't." Stefan said, a stake in his hand and a bottle of vervain in the other.

Emma pouted. "And here I heard you were the nice brother."

"Tick Tock." Carmen suddenly said.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you want to know what's making the hybrid so sick."

Katherine took Emma and slammed her against a wall again. "What the hell did you do to her?" Katherine glared at her.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek and sighed. "The hybrid practically left herself wide open to channeling." Emma said as Katherine released her. "The witches have been funneling her power all night. Imagine what an override that must be." She joked.

Carmen narrowed her eyes at the red head. "You can stop with the bullshit and tell us what you want." She growled at her.

"Isn't it obvious?" Emma said. "I want the hybrids power." She told them simply.

"What do you want with it?" Stefan asked.

"World domination? Supernatural domination? It depends on what my brother calls dibs on." Emma said with a smirk. "But I'm perfectly open to a compromise."

"Here's a compromise." Ricahrd said. "You let Sarah go, and we won't kill you…slowly."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh please, as soon as my heart stops, so do your hybrids. You think I would come here without insurance? Ha!" she laughed.

"So why are you toying with us then?" Carmen questioned, becoming frustrated. "Why not just go get her powers with all of the witches that you have?"

Emma pouted. "Now that wouldn't be fun would it?" Emma said. "I think I'll enjoy it more if I kill her slowly."

Katherine narrowed her eyes at her. "So where is your brother?"

"Where do you think?" Emma shot back.

Stefan's eyes widened and he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Oh no…"

"Ding, ding, ding!" Emma mocked in a dry tone. "Congratulations, you get the grand prize. When my brother finishes the hyrbid, I'm sure he'll want to keep one of you as a pet."

"What the hell are you planning?" Carmen demanded.

Emma smirked. "Oh trust me, Carmen, it will definitely be something you have never seen. " Emma said.

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Damon walked downstairs and crossed to the bar, sighing and running his hand through his hair. Sarah was asleep, after being reassured by Bonnie that she was allowed too. She was in so much pain though; it broke his heart to pieces. He opened his good bourbon and poured a glass. Just as he was about to take a drink, a voice rang out behind him.

"Bourbon, a very good year too."

Damon slowly turned around to look at Evan as he sat on the couch, drinking his bourbon from a glass. Damon slowly reached for the stake on the table and glared at Evan.

"Ah, ah, ah, Salvatore, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Evan said, waving his finger at the angry vampire. "I'm older and stronger than you, your no match for me."

Damon's glare deepened. "You know vampires say that to me a lot, but I don't think any of them have a clue how much trouble there in when I'm angry." He told Basinger.

Evan smirked. "I like that Salvatore. You have my respect I'll give you that." He said. "But what you fail to realize is that if I die, you will have no way to save your precious Serenity."

Damon clenched his fist and slowly set the stake down. If looks could kill, Evan would be slaughtered at that moment. Evan ushered Damon to sit, gesturing to the chair across from him.

"I'm a man of my word Salvatore." Evan said as Damon sat down. "So I want to make a deal with you."

"What is with you evil psycho's and making deals? What is it in the handbook?" Damon asked him sarcastically.

Evan glared at him. "Yes right under, the evil laugh. It's quite enlightening. "He said. "Now you can take my deal, or Serenity can die. It's up to you."

Damon clenched his jaw and sat back in his chair. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I want what everyone wants from the vampire and witch hybrid." Evan said. "Her power. There are two ways to gain a witches power. You can burn them and ingest their ash, that's the more convenient way if you ask me." He said with a smirk. "Or the witch can will you their powers, the cleaner and less violent way."

"So what do you want me to do?" Damon asked him.

"I want you to go upstairs," Evan began. "And tell her to will me her powers."

"You're psychotic." Damon growled as he stood up.

"And you're running out of time." Evan told him, giving him an impatient look. "Get her to will me the power. Then I will be on my merry way to world domination."

Damon gave him a hard look. "And if I say no?" he said.

Evan raised an eyebrow at him. "Then I'll no more use for you then, Salvatore." Evan told me. "And I will be forced to burn your hybrid alive."

"That's if you can get to her." Damon growled. "And you'll have to go through me, and I will raise hell before you ever get that chance."

"That can be arranged." Evan told him, staring at him. "So your final answer?"

Damon shook his head. "No. I'll find some way to save her, but there is no way in hell I'm letting her give an asshole like you her powers."

Evan pursed his lips. "Well then goodbye Mr. Salvatore."

Damon suddenly heard a click behind him and whipped around, coming to face a cross bow in the hands of Emma. Emma smirked maliciously at him. "Shame, you were so cute." She said before she pulled the trigger.

Damon closed his eyes, waiting to feel the wood of the stake pierce his chest, but it never came. He opened his eyes to see the stake resting right in front of his chest where his heart should be, a few centimeters away from piercing his skin. Everyone looked to the doorway where Sarah stood, leaning against the doorway from support with her hand in front of her, holding the stake in place.

"Goodbye Emma." Sarah said between deep breaths before she flicked her hands.

The stake turned and shot back to Emma, impaling her chest where her heart should be. Emma's eyes opened wide as blood poured from her chest and her skin began to crack. She collapsed to the floor, dead. Evan stared at his sister in shock before looking back up to Sarah, who glared at him.

"Carmen and Bonnie found your witches you bastard." Sarah told him. "So now, we can kill you in peace."

With those words Evan zoomed off, the glass of bourbon shattering as he went. Sarah smiled at Damon, who smiled back gratefully. Sarah's smile faded as she began to fall, landing in Damon's arms as he ran over to her.

"It's over." Sarah said. "He's not going to come back."

Damon shook his head and kissed the top of her head. "No, he's not." He told her. "Thanks by the way." He sighed. "For saving me and all. I thought I was the one supposed to save you?"

Sarah smirked weakly. "I told you I could take care of myself." She said. "Didn't think I'd have to take care of you too."

Damon smirked back to her. "Always Spaz." He told her.

Sarah nodded and frowned as she felt the soreness of her body. "Oh god, I feel terrible." She groaned softly. "Are vampires even allowed to feel sore?"

Damon smiled at her. "Glad to see you're feeling better." He told her.

Sarah shrugged. "You were right, you know." She told him. "I didn't die."

Damon looked at her and sighed. "Nope. Unfortunately I'm stuck with you for eternity."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Poor you." She said sarcastically.

Damon smirked and shrugged, lifting her on her feet. "I could think of worst ways to spend forever."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_"Do you think I'll get married one day?" A twelve year old Sarah told her best friend as they lay underneath their tree in her garden, staring up at the stars._

_ Damon frowned and looked at the girl, whom stared at the stars with aimlessly. "Married? To who?"_ _He asked her worriedly. _

_ Sarah shrugged. "I don't know. Whoever asks me, I suppose." She said, looking at him._

_ "Why do you ask?" he asked her. "Have you been talking to Katelyn again? That girl is boy crazy you know."_

_ "Of course not!" Sarah scoffed. "I was reading that book you gave me for my eleventh birthday, the one with the fairytales."_

_ "You still have that?" Damon asked her shocked. "I would have thought you were too old for that one."_

_ "I love that book!" Sarah exclaimed, huffing at him. "But as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me…"_

_ Damon rolled his eyes. "Of course Miss Sarah." He said jokingly._

_ "Don't tease it's not very becoming of a gentleman." Sarah laughed._

_ "Nor is it becoming of a lady to laugh at a gentleman." Damon shot back with a smile._

_ Sarah shook her head and laughed. "Are you going to let me finish my story now?"_

_ Damon nodded and ushered her to proceed. Sarah sighed and lay back on her back to gaze at the stars once more. "I was reading my fairytales, and I realized every princess is rescued by a prince charming, then they get married and live happily ever after. Like Cinderella."_

_ Damon gave her a confused look. "You want to be rescued by a prince charming?"_

_ "Of course not, I won't need anyone to rescue me." She told him. "But I couldn't help but think that someone loved Cinderella so much that he searched the entire kingdom for her, with only a glass slipper to guide his way. And still he never gave up hope. And I started to wonder if there was anyone, anyone in the entire world that would love me that much. To search for me, and never give up." She looked at him again. "Is that silly of me?" she asked._

_ "I don't think so." Damon answered her._

_ "Good, because I wouldn't want you to think I was mad." Sarah said with a small smile._

_ "You're already mad." Damon told her._

_ "Am not!" Sarah argued. "I'm perfectly sane."_

_ "Whatever you say Sarah." Damon chuckled. _

_ Sarah rolled her eyes at him and suddenly frowned. "What if I marry someone who isn't a prince charming?" she asked sadly. "What if he's cruel? What if he won't let me see you?"_

_ Damon scowled. "That will never happen."_

_ "But what if it does?" Sarah asked him unconvinced. "Then we won't be friends anymore and we'll never see each other again. And you'll probably go marry Miranda Lockwood!"_

_ "Sarah…"_

_ "And we won't be friends until we're old, like Nana Forbes." Sarah said, smiling lightly at her joke. "We won't be together."_

_ Damon pondered this, sitting up to look at her. "What if I marry you?" he offered. "I'm not a prince charming and all that, but I'm nice and then we can always be together." He told her._

_ Sarah beamed at him, sitting up. "Promise?" she asked hopefully._

_ "Promise." Damon said, smiling back at her. "As long as you don't mind not having your prince charming."_

_ Sarah shrugged. "I'm not a princess. Who needs a prince charming when I have you?" she smiled. _

_**~*Save Me*~**_

Sarah walked into the Salvatore Boarding House the next morning, holding her grimoire in hand. After all of the witches had been dealt with, in a way only Carmen could, she had been able to reverse her spell. She was still a bit weak from the sudden withdrawal, but the pain had subsided and she was feeling a lot better than she had yesterday. She leaned on the doorway of the living room, watching Damon fiddle with weapons from Alaric with a small smile on her face.

"Hi." She said softly.

Damon broke his concentration on the cross bow in his hand and sent a quick smile to his best friend. "Hey." He greeted. "What are you doing here; I thought Mama Vamp had you on bed duty?"

Sarah shrugged. "I convinced her to let me off on good behavior." She joked. "I actually wanted to show you something."

Damon raised an eyebrow at her as she crossed over to him, opening her grimoire as she did. She turned the book to him, allowing him to read the words "Power Multiplication Spell". Damon sent her a confused look, causing her to sigh.

"This is the spell I was using yesterday." She explained to him. "It allows me to channel extreme amounts of power at once… But it also leaves me open for other witches to channel through me, something I didn't know." She told him.

"And you're showing it to me why?" Damon asked her.

Sarah bit her lip nervously. "I wanted you to know that I won't do that to myself again. I know my limits now, and I've accepted them. But I only made this spell so that I could protect you."

Damon opened his mouth to say something, but she crumbled the spell into a ball and held it out in her palm. He watched as the piece of paper burst into flames into her hand until it was nothing but ash.

"So this is my sorry." Sarah told him. "I won't do anything reckless like that again."

"Good because you scared the crap out of me Spaz." Damon told her sternly. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I was protecting you. You and everyone and I was going to do everything I could to make sure Basinger didn't hurt any of you." She told him. "I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven." Damon said with a sigh. "You said that a lot yesterday."

Sarah smiled. "Speaking of yesterday we have one more problem."

"What the hell? Do you and Elena send out Bat signals so evil vampires know exactly where you are?" Damon snapped in frustration.

Sarah laughed at his exasperation and shook her head. "No, not that kind of problem." She smiled at him. "Yesterday I told you that I loved you, and you said it back."

Damon raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh?"

"Yeah, and then you kissed me. And we haven't done anything about it."

"That is a problem." Damon said, turning to face her. "What do you suggest we do to solve it?"

Sarah smirked and stepped closer to him so their faces were inches apart. "I don't know. I was thinking something like this." Sarah said before she leaned up and softly captured his lips with hers.

Damon broke the kiss and leaned his forehead on hers, wrapping his arms around her so that her body was against his. "I like this plan." He muttered, earning a small laugh from the girl in his arms.

Sarah reached up to brush her fingers along his cheek, staring deep into his eyes. "Caroline told me about Elena." She said softly. "About how you loved her."

"Loved as in past tense." He reassured her.

"I know that." She scoffed. "Stop interrupting."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Yes dear."

Sarah shook her head at him and smiled. "And she also told me how she chose Stefan." She felt Damon tense against her. "But I just wanted to know that for me, it was always you. And it will always be you." She told him. "And I'm hoping that you're choosing me too."

Damon smiled, genuinely smiled at her, and kissed her, deep and passionate. Sarah almost gasped when his arms lifted her slightly so that her body was flush against his, but she smiled happily into the kiss.

"What do you think?" he asked in between kisses in regard to her last question.

Sarah smiled and opened her mouth to say something when her cell phone broke the small moment of peace. Damon groaned and set her down, making her laugh when she pulled out her phone. "Hello?" she answered, still smiling at Damon.

_"Are you near a TV?" _Carmen immediately said on the other line, worry and panic evident in her voice.

Sarah looked at Damon worriedly, who was already moving to grab the remote. "_Yeah I'm at the Boarding House, why? What happened?"_

Carmen sighed. "_Turn on CNN."_

Sarah took the remote from Damon and cut on the TV above the fireplace, searching for the channel. _"_Okay it's the news, what's happening_?_"

_"Just…wait." _Carmen told her. "_Bonnie, Caroline, and Jeremy are here watching too. Stefan should be on his way home."_

"Carmen, what's going on?"

_"Just watch! God I can't believe this is happening!" _Carmen sighed, worry evident in her voice.

"Oh my god, are you panicking? You never panic, should I be panicking?" Sarah quickly said into the phone, fearing rising in her body.

"Crap, is that Basinger?" Damon said, watching the TV beside her.

"What?" Sarah said, looking to the TV. Her eyes widened at the familiar red hair. "Oh god."

_"Welcome back to CNN news, with us now is CEO of the multimillion dollar software company Basinger Enterprises, Mr. Evan Basinger." The audience applauded as Evan smiled at the interviewer, thanking him for the introduction. "Now Ms. Basinger, not much is known about your private life, or your background for that matter."_

_ Evan nodded. "I like to keep my personal life and business life separate, it helps with the publicity."_

_ "Of course." The interviewer agreed. "But today you're agreeing to put your private life out in the open for the entire world to see."_

_ Evan smiled. "That's right."_

_ The interviewer smiled at the audience. "Well this will be a treat won't it folks." The audience applauded enthusiastically. "So, what is it that you want to tell us folks?"_

_ Evan shifted in his seat and cleared his throat, staring directly at the camera. "Well, Tom, everyone knows that I began the company at the age of 21 and it's risen to such wonderful heights in such a short time. Some people say it's because I'm a workaholic, some say it's because I'm not human." He smirked. "Well only one of those is true." He said. "I'm not a workaholic. Just ask my lovely secretary."_

_ The interviewer chuckled. "So you saying that you are not human?" he asked, going along with Basinger's "joke"._

_ "Precisely." Evan said._

_ "So if you're not human, then what are you?" _

_ Evan smiled. "Well it's simple really I'm a vampire." He said. _

Sarah looked to Damon in shock, the vampire not looking away from the screen for a moment.

_The interviewer laughed nervously, looking to the camera awkwardly. "A vampire? Of course." The interviewer said. "When you mean vampire, you mean like Twilight vampires?"_

_ "No. I am a blood sucking, immortal creature that burns in the sun." Evan told him slowly. _

_ The interviewer's smile dropped when he realized that Basinger wasn't kidding. "You're serious aren't you?" the interviewer asked seriously. _

_ "Dead serious actually." Evan said, looking to the camera. "I was born in Oxford, England in 1754. I am over 200 years old. I was turned at the age of 22 by a very old, very powerful vampire whose name is not to be revealed." Evan told the world at that moment. _

_ The interviewer stared in shock. "But you walk in the sun every day."_

_ "Neat little sun rings provided by my employed witches." Evan said, flashing the large black ring. "Very convenient."_

_ The room at the moment was silent, everyone shocked at what was being told to them. The interviewer took off his glasses in shock. "Prove it to us then." The interviewer told him._

_ Evan smirked. "Why of course Tom." Evan stood and used his vampire speed to run to stand behind Tom. The interviewer jumped in surprise, jumping away from the red head man. The audience behind the camera all screamed and murmured at the display. "I think I can take it over from here, don't you think?" Evan suggested to Tom, who ran off stage immediately. _

_Evan turned to look at the camera. "So, America that is my biggest secret. There are vampires among you. And witches, and werewolves, and a lot of other things that go bump in the night." Evan smirked._

"_If you're wondering why we are suddenly "coming out of the coffin" I'll have you know that my scientist have created a Blood Substitute, a little something we like to call "Red"." He told them._

"_I have personally spoken to officials and our very own president who has agreed to set up Pro-vampire laws to further organize the vampire society. "Red" shall be on shelves within the next month, and vampires can buy it and use it for all of their nutritional needs." _

_ Evan stepped closer to the camera. "Thank you for watching our very special broadcast. And if you are still watching, do me a favor." He smirked. "Make a vampire friend today. I'm sure they'll be so very pleased to meet you."_

The screen turned to black with those words. Damon looked at Sarah, who had now dropped the phone to the floor with a crack. She turned to look at Damon, shock on her face.

"Did he just…" She started slowly to Damon, who nodded and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Tell the entire world about vampires, witches, and werewolves and basically the entire supernatural world?" Damon finished for her. "Yeah, I think he did…"

_**~*Save Me*~**_

_**Fin…**_

_**For now ;)**_


	16. Note to my readers

I noticed that their weren't many reviews for the last chapter, so I want you guys to honestly tell me what you think of it. I write for your reviews, so please enlighten me so I can get started on the sequel.

WatIfAngel93


	17. Sequel

Sequel to Save Me is on a roll! The first chapter is on my profile and is apart of the new installment to which I have dubbed as the Chronicles of the Coven!


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